Rising Storm, Book One: Sleet
by XSleetstormX
Summary: Sleetkit is different. He is part of a group of cats known as the Specials. Like the other Specials, he has a power that can define his Clan's way of life. But darkness is brewing in the hearts of other cats. Sleetkit may not be up to the challenge of proving his worth, but he will die trying. Rated T for safety.
1. Prologue

**AN: So... I'm kind of new here, and I had this idea burning in my mind. (Yes, I know this idea has been used way too often) So please let me know what you thought of this prologue, which is down below by the way. And hopefully I'll actually get some reviews ^^**

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Allegiances

_**ThunderClan  
**_

**Leader:**

Hollystar - brown she-cat with a white-tipped tail

**Deputy:**

Raventail - black tom with amber eyes  
(**APPRENTICE: Scorchpaw**)

**Medicine Cat:**

Kestrelfoot - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Warriors:**

Morningsong - ginger she-cat with brown paws  
(**APPRENTICE: Adderpaw**)

Whiskerclaw - ginger-brown tom with tabby markings

Crowtalon - light gray tom with yellow eyes

Dewstep - mottled gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Leafclaw - dark ginger tom with green eyes

Thistletail - brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Rockfang - black tom with a single white paw

Fallenleaf - creamy brown she-cat with amber eyes

Cricketfur - brown she-cat with patches of white mixed in her fur

**Apprentices:**

Adderpaw - black and white tom with green eyes

Scorchpaw - gray tom with smoky black patches

**Queens:**

Brightpool - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes. Mother of Honeykit, Larchkit and Brownkit by Whiskerclaw.

Darkflower - black she-cat with a gray-tipped tail, and paws. Mother of Sleetkit and Nightkit by Raventail.

Palepelt - light golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes. Expecting.

**Elders:**

Briarthorn - white she-cat with flecks of gray in her fur

Pineclaw - golden brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Kits:**

Honeykit - light brown-ginger she-cat with green eyes

Larchkit - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes

Brownkit - dark brown tom with amber eyes

Sleetkit - lighter gray tom with amber eyes

Nightkit - black tom with gray paws, tail and face

**_ShadowClan_**

**Leader:**

Lakestar - gray-blue tom with amber eyes

**Deputy:**

Squirrelfang - spiky-furred gray she-cat with yellow eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Cloudfur - pale gray, almost white she-cat with blue eyes  
(**APPRENTICE: Mosspaw**)

**Warriors:**

Snakepelt - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes; can produce a venomous bite  
(**APPRENTICE: Mintpaw**)

Flameclaw - dark ginger tom with piercing green eyes  
(**APPRENTICE: Leopardpaw**)

Birchtooth - gray tabby she-cat

Toadfur - dark gray tom with yellow eyes

**Apprentices:**

Leopardpaw - golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Mosspaw - gray and white she-cat with amber eyes

Mintpaw - light gray she-cat with amber eyes

**Queens:**

Sedgeflower - pale brown she-cat with amber eyes. Mother of Mothkit and Foxkit by Flameclaw.

Brindleclaw - mottled tabby she-cat with amber eyes. Expecting Lakestar's kits.

**Kits:**

Mothkit - dappled ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Foxkit - dark ginger tom with amber eyes, has the teeth and strength of a fox

**Elders:**

Finchfoot - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

_**WindClan**_

**Leader:**

Shrewstar - light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Deputy:**

Bramblepelt - mottled gray tom with amber eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Duskclaw - small brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Warriors:**

Mudwhisker - tawny colored she-cat with blue eyes

Beechnose - gray tom with a white muzzle  
(**APPRENTICE: Sunpaw**)

Ivyfoot - gray and white she-cat with amber eyes; she can read minds  
(**APPRENTICE: Lightningpaw**)

Blazeclaw - ginger tom with green eyes

Quickstep - long-legged black and white she-cat with amber eyes

**Apprentices:**

Sunpaw - orange and white tom with amber eyes

Lightningpaw - pale ginger tom with green eyes; has the power to control electricity

**Queens:**

Embershade - dark ginger she-cat with lighter ginger spots. Mother to Littlekit, Rustkit and Fallowkit by Shrewstar.

**Kits:**

Littlekit - dark ginger tom with green eyes

Rustkit - ginger-brown tom with amber eyes

Fallowkit - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**Elders:**

Stripefur - dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

_**RiverClan  
**_

**Leader:**

Ripplestar - black she-cat with piercing green eyes

**Deputy:**

Snowtail - white she-cat flecked with gray

**Medicine Cat:**

Alderfern - light brown she-cat with amber eyes; can heal any wounds, no matter how deep and painful  
(**APPRENTICE: Starlingpaw**)

**Warriors:**

Antleg - small black and brown tom with amber eyes

Furzewhisker - gray-black she-cat with yellow eyes

Seedtail - light ginger tom with green eyes  
(**APPRENTICE: Minnowpaw**)

Oatfur - creamy brown tom with amber eyes

Sandblaze - dark ginger tom with amber eyes  
(**APPRENTICE: Kindlepaw**)

Heathershine - pale golden brown she-cat

**Apprentices:**

Minnowpaw - gray she-cat with darker gray paws

Kindlepaw - smoky gray, almost black tom with amber eyes

Starlingpaw - black and white she-cat with amber eyes

**Queens:**

Goldentail - tortoiseshell she-cat with an orange-dappled tail. Mother to Rootkit and Tigerkit.

Pondripple - gray-blue she-cat with amber eyes. Mother to Harekit and Cloverkit.

**Kits:**

Rootkit - dark brown tom with amber eyes

Tigerkit - dark orange tom with amber eyes

Harekit - gray and white tom with amber eyes; can move as fast as a cheetah, even faster if he wills it

Cloverkit - pale gray she-cat with amber eyes

**Elders:**

Spiderfang - old black tom with amber eyes

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**PROLOGUE**

Stars were dappled across the midnight sky. A cold leafbare breeze drifted through the trees. The first signs of snowfall were already evident on the ground below. Creatures huddled up to endure the worst of leafbare.

But down in the hollow of ThunderClan, one cat couldn't relax. He began pacing back and forth as a queen moaned in pain.

The rest of his Clan was just as worried. Most of them were gathered outside their warm nests. On a night like this they would already be fast asleep.

"She'll be alright, won't she?" The tom's voice was filled with anxiety as a brown she-cat with a white-tipped tail approached him.

"Raventail, you know as well as I do that Darkflower is a fighter," the brown she-cat replied. "She has been through worse."

"I know, Hollystar," Raventail sighed. "I just wish there was more I could do for her."

The ThunderClan leader placed a tail on his shoulder, comforting him. "Be with her when the kits arrive," she murmured. "She will need you now more than ever."

The black tom couldn't help but nod in agreement. His tail flicked from side to side as he waited impatiently for any news. Kestrelfoot had been in the nursery for what felt like moons. It felt like frost was beginning to cling to Raventail's fur when the medicine cat finally emerged.

"They are here," he announced.

Hope flared within Raventail's chest as he stood up. He padded over to where Kestrelfoot was standing, but the light brown tabby stopped him before he could go any further.

"How is she?" Raventail asked warily.

"She's tired, but she will recover," Kestrelfoot replied. "But there is something else I must discuss with you, in my den."

Worry seeped through Raventail as the medicine cat slipped away. By now most of the Clan was returning to their nests. Raventail shook his head to clear his thoughts before he approached his mate. Queens were usually protective over their first litter, and Darkflower was no exception.

Brightpool's kits were trying to get to Darkflower when Raventail entered the nursery. The warm scent of milk filled his lungs when he purred in greeting. Darkflower did look exhausted, but her eyes glowed with happiness.

"Meet our new family," she purred.

"They're beautiful," he whispered when he got a good look at them.

She had two kits. One was a pale gray tom, while the other was a black tom with gray paws. Both of them reminded Raventail so much of their mother.

"I've already picked out names for them," Darkflower meowed. "This one is going to be called Sleetkit, and the other will be called Nightkit." She nuzzled both kits affectionately. Sleetkit let out a squeal of protest at the sudden motion.

Amusement coursed through Raventail as he watched them. They would both make fine warriors.

"I need to speak with Kestrelfoot," Raventail said after nuzzling his mate. "I'll be back soon."

Darkflower looked at him warily before nodding. Raventail slipped out of the den to find that Kestrelfoot was waiting for him.

Once again that unfamiliar unease crawled down Raventail's spine. Kestrelfoot looked more serious than ever as he stood up. Raventail's fur bristled slightly as he followed the medicine cat into his den. Clearly something was wrong, or Kestrelfoot would have spoken to him outside.

"What's wrong?" Raventail finally found the courage to ask.

"Your son is a Special," Kestrelfoot replied. His voice was tart, as if he'd eaten something sour.

Fear rose within Raventail's heart. ThunderClan had not had a Special for moons. Their last Special had died from greencough. She had refused to take the little herbs that the medicine cat had at the time.

"Are you sure?" Raventail felt a knot form in his throat.

"Yes, one of your kits will become the Clan's next Special," Kestrelfoot meowed. "I'm not sure which one it is, but every medicine cat can tell."

"How will we know which one is a Special?" He needed to know, for his kits' sake.

"I cannot tell you." Kestrelfoot studied Raventail carefully. "All I know is that his destiny will be shaped by his powers."

Raventail bowed his head when he realized how serious this really was. One of his sons had become the Clan's first Special in moons. They both needed to be protected, for their sake and the Clan's sake.


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: Thanks to Jaysong of ThunderClan and Dawn for reviewing! Really appreciate them ^^ So here's the first chapter, and you get to meet Mr. Sleetkit. He is after all the main character XD Please let me know what you think of him through a review!**

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**CHAPTER ONE**

Sleetkit blinked open his wary eyes and felt the warm of a newleaf breeze. He shivered when he realized that he was alone. His mother wasn't nearby, and his brother had wandered off yet again. Annoyance prickled at his paws as he stood up and shook scraps of moss from his fur.

"Darkflower? Nightkit? Wh-" He never got the chance to finish his question.

A yowl of surprise escaped from Sleetkit's lungs when he felt tiny paws jabbing at his side. His eyes narrowed into slits when he realized that Nightkit had pounced on him.

"Mousebrain," he hissed.

He swatted a paw across Nightkit's muzzle, hoping for some relief from the sudden attack. Nightkit squealed in surprise before backing away. His fur was fluffed up to make him look twice his size. Sleetkit let out a purr of amusement when he approached his brother.

"Maybe we should call you Fluffykit instead of Nightkit," he joked.

"No way, Nightkit's a way cooler name!" Nightkit boasted. "Hey, you wanna play leader again?"

"You're always leader," Sleetkit grumbled.

"Not this time!" Sleetkit yelped in surprise when he felt someone tugging at his tail.

He whirled around to see that Honeykit had jumped on it. Brownkit and Larchkit were following their sister, leaving behind their game of 'catch the mouse'.

"I'll be ThunderClan's next leader," Honeykit announced. "I'm Honeystar, and you're my loyal deputy, Sleetstorm!"

"Can I be called Nightclaw?" Nightkit looked at Honeykit hopefully. His eyes glowed with pride when she nodded. "And you can be called Browntail," he crowed to Brownkit.

"No thanks, I'll be called Brownfire," Brownkit retorted.

"Brownfire is a dumb name," Larchkit mewed with a roll of her eyes. "Why not go with something like Brownheart or Brownfeather?"

"Fine, than you can be called Larchnose," Brownkit sneered.

Larchkit's eyes widened with mock terror as her brother started tussling with her. Sleetkit jumped out of his nest and stepped in between them. Honeykit stood at his side while Nightkit approached the nursery's entrance.

"Larchwing and Browntail, you'll lead a hunting patrol," Honeykit ordered. "Sleetstorm and Nightclaw will join me on a border patrol."

Honeykit bounded out of her nest and out of the nursery. Sleetkit exchanged a look with Nightkit before following her. The other two kits were quick to follow, despite the protests they had given.

Excitement coursed through Sleetkit when he tasted the newleaf air. It was early morning, and a hunting patrol was getting ready to leave. Crowtalon, Leafclaw and Rockfang were part of the patrol. All three of them looked ready for a run in the forest.

_I wish I could join them_, he thought. _I can't wait until I'm an apprentice_! _I'll join Raventail and Darkflower on border patrols and find the juiciest mouse in the forest_!

"Come on Sleetstorm, you coming?" Honeykit's mew broke Sleetkit from his thoughts.

He shook his head in embarrassment before following her. Dewstep, who was washing her fur at the time, watched the group of kits in amusement as they marched around the hollow.

"Is this a border patrol I'm watching?" she asked in a purr.

"Yep, and you're the intruder!" Honeykit's fur fluffed up as Nightkit sized up his opponent.

"Am I now?" Dewstep leaned forward, teeth glistening as she faked a yawn. "I've never seen such strong looking warriors. I might have to run back to my nest."

Sleetkit felt triumph rush through him. Dewstep was an easy opponent! But than he noticed her powerful muscles for the first time. She was watching each kit carefully, as if calculating their every move. She wouldn't be easy to beat in a battle.

"Get her!" Honeykit's yowl made Sleetkit's heart nearly skip a beat.

Nightkit wasted no time in bounding forward. Dewstep let out a startled grunt as he landed on her back. Honeykit pummeled her belly with tiny paws while Larchkit pounced on her tail.

"Kits, what are you doing?" Sleetkit froze when he heard Darkflower's voice.

He looked up to see that she was standing over him, eyes dark with worry. Dewstep purred in amusement when Nightkit slid down her soft fur.

"They were only practicing," she meowed.

"I'm sure they were, but that is not how a kit should behave," Darkflower scolded them.

"But mom, we want to be warriors now!" Nightkit groaned.

"Can't we leave the camp just once?" Sleetkit added.

Darkflower let out a sigh of annoyance before leaning forward. She rasped her tongue over Sleetkit's fur.

"You're not old enough to leave the camp," she murmured.

"When are we old enough to leave camp?" Sleetkit couldn't help but ask the question, though he already knew.

"When I say you are old enough," Darkflower muttered. "Come on kits, time to wash up."

"Oh let them be, Darkflower." Relief washed over Sleetkit's shoulders when he heard Raventail's mew. Leave it to his father to make things better for all of them. "They're young, and they will only get into trouble if you keep them cooped inside the nursery all day."

Darkflower looked like she was ready to argue when she thought better of it. Sleetkit looked at his father hopefully as Raventail gave his mate a friendly nuzzle.

"Why don't you go and ask the elders for a story," she suggested. "Make sure you bring them a mouse before you go in," she added when Nightkit started to run.

The elders usually had good stories to tell, especially in the morning. Sleetkit loved to hear Briarthorn talk. She was the one who made the stories last longer than normal, and she usually knew which stories the kits liked best.

Both kits padded into the elder's den after Sleetkit grabbed a plump looking mouse from the fresh-kill pile. Honeykit and her siblings were already inside, listening intently. Sleetkit's claws flexed as he sat beside Honeykit. Nightkit dropped off the mouse after Briarthorn was finished speaking.

"My goodness that's a large mouse!" the elder exclaimed.

"I picked the biggest one I could," Sleetkit mewed.

"Can you tell us a story please?" Larchkit asked after shoving her brother aside. Brownkit glared at her, but Briarthorn stopped him from pushing her back.

"Why don't I tell you about the Specials," she suggested.

Almost at once all kits fell silent. The Specials wasn't something the Clan usually talked about. Sleetkit remembered hearing that ThunderClan's last Special had died moons before he was born. Greencough had infected most of the camp, and the Special had refused to accept any catmint.

"This story goes back to the time of Bramblestar and Dovestar," Briarthorn began. "Now, both leaders were wise and caring towards their Clans. But one day, an unusual kit was born. This kit was born with a power that no other cat had seen. He could control fire at will, and stop it if he wanted to."

"What was his name?" Brownkit asked.

"No interruptions!" Pineclaw grunted. Brownkit's fur ruffled a little, but he sat back.

"Now, the kit with powers became known as the first Special. More kits in each Clan were discovered with unique abilities and powers. These kits became the first generation of something much bigger. The Specials were created to keep peace between all four Clans. But soon the Specials became arrogant, and they wanted power for themselves. The first war was when Dovestar was leader. She saw the danger in their powers, and she tried to put an end to their reign.

But she couldn't stop them even if she wanted to. The Specials were created not from StarClan, but from a different set of ancestors. No one knows where the Specials came from, but one thing is certain, the Clans cannot survive without them."

All three kits were staring at Briarthorn in awe. Amusement gleamed within Briarthorn's eyes before she stretched out her back.

"Now off you go, and remember what I told you!" she purred as Sleetkit followed the others out of the den.

"I wonder why ThunderClan doesn't have any Specials?" Larchkit asked.

"Maybe one of us is the Special," Brownkit squealed.

"Yeah right, none of us have shown anything unique," Nightkit said with a roll of his eyes. Sleetkit looked at his brother in confusion. Nightkit sounded just like Briarthorn, using her strange terms that Sleetkit didn't know about. From what Sleetkit had gathered, 'unique' meant strange or different. Sleetkit wasn't sure if he'd enjoy being picked on as the different cat. He already had a hard enough time getting stared at by the watchful warriors.

"It's time for all of you to get back to your nests." Sleetkit froze when he heard his mother's voice. Darkflower was sitting beside Brightpool, sharing fresh-kill beside the nursery. He didn't even realize how late it was until he looked up at the sky. It was getting dark out already, even though it was early newleaf. "Come on you two," Darkflower purred after burying the remains of the mouse. Nightkit let out a squeal of protest as she grabbed him by the scruff. Sleetkit quickly followed his mother, happy to avoid getting picked off like a helpless mouse.

He scampered back to his nest after Darkflower gently placed Nightkit down. Wariness crept over him as he curled up. He didn't even realize how exhausted he was until he curled up. But as soon as he did his eyes became heavy.

_Why doesn't ThunderClan have a Special_? he wondered as drowsiness took over. _It seems like the Clan doesn't even care if there isn't a Special to protect them_. _Maybe they've forgotten how important a Special is_. Those last few thoughts eventually lulled him to sleep. He didn't even realize how worried his mother was as she watched him. She knew what her kits were. And she was going to keep the truth from them no matter how much the Clan protested.


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: Chapter update! Loved this chapter, specially since you meet a few new characters. Special thanks to Dawnclaw and Jaysong of ThunderClan for reviewing!**

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**CHAPTER TWO**

Rain was pouring outside the nursery. The sound of it had jolted Sleetkit awake. Nightkit was staring outside the nursery's entrance, his gaze filled with longing. Brightpool kept her kits in their nests while she waited out the worst of the storm. Palepelt was still fast asleep despite the sound of rain pounding outside the nursery walls. Sleetkit could hear them loud and clear, but that wasn't what had woken him up. Darkflower was gone from her nest, leaving her kits behind as she spoke to Raventail.

"Are you sure?" Above the pouring rain, Sleetkit made out those words.

"Darkflower, I am sure," Raventail sighed. "Kestrelfoot told me the night they were born. One of our kits is a Special, and we need to accept that."

Sleetkit thought he heard a hiss of frustration. From what he could tell his mother wanted nothing to do with the Specials.

"Why us?" she demanded. "Our kits were going to become warriors! And now-" Raventail cut her off.

"An intruder!" Sleetkit winced when he recognized Adderpaw's yowl. "There's a RiverClan cat waiting outside the camp's entrance!"

"Calm down, Adderpaw," Raventail meowed. "I doubt they're looking for trouble."

Sleetkit couldn't resist following his brother as Nightkit tried to get a better look. Fallenleaf was guarding the camp's entrance. Her eyes were narrowed into tiny slits as a slim looking light brown she-cat emerged from the gorse tunnel.

"Alderfern, it has been a while," Hollystar purred when she emerged from her den. "I hope all is well in RiverClan."

"Everything is fine," Alderfern reassured the leader. "I have come to speak with Kestrelfoot."

As she said those words, the medicine cat emerged from his den. By now the rain had slowed down, giving Sleetkit a better look at Alderfern. He realized that this was RiverClan's medicine cat. She smelled of fish and water, like the time when Ripplestar had paid a visit to Hollystar.

"We need to talk," Alderfern meowed to Kestrelfoot.

Sleetkit exchanged an anxious look with Nightkit. He wanted to know what they were talking about. He slipped out of the den, careful to avoid his parent's watchful gaze. Raventail was still trying to soothe Darkflower. Sleetkit didn't understand why she had such a difficult time accepting that her kits would be different. He knew that he wouldn't enjoy being different, but it was something he would have to deal with sooner or later.

Carefully, Sleetkit stalked out of the den and kept close to the edge of camp. Every cat seemed to be out of their dens by now. News of Alderfern's arrival had spread like wildfire. A few cats were glaring at the medicine cat's den. Sleetkit even heard one of the cats call Alderfern a traitor.

He tried to ignore those insults as he reached the medicine cat's den. Nightkit was pressed at his side when he leaned forward. He didn't mind having his brother so close, in fact, he enjoyed the company. At least they would both get in trouble if they were caught.

"It has been some time since you visited me," Kestrelfoot meowed after they were settled in. "I hope all is well in RiverClan." He repeated Hollystar's statement. Sleetkit heard paws shuffling in the den as if Alderfern was having trouble sitting still.

"Everything is fine," she repeated herself. "I have come to see whether or not the newest Special has arrived."

Excitement coursed through Sleetkit. Finally, he might learn who the Special was. Was it Nightkit? He glanced at his brother, but Nightkit's eyes were wide with fear rather than wonder.

"He has," Kestrelfoot replied. "But we haven't seen any signs of him having powers."

_He_... The Special had to be one of them! Sleetkit's claws unsheathed as he thought of what possible powers either he or Nightkit would have. And if they did have powers, than someone would have to train them.

"So you know who the Special is," Alderfern retorted.

"I do know." Kestrelfoot sounded aggravated. "But it is his destiny to find out his powers."

The two brothers edged away from the medicine cat's den. Sleetkit wasn't sure how much of that they understood. But he knew one thing - he and his brother _were_ different. He glanced back at Darkflower to see that she was glaring at Raventail now.

"Maybe we should test each other," Nightkit mewed after returning to the nursery. "You know, just to find out which one of us is a Special."

"Okay!" Sleetkit's claws unsheathed with excitement. He wanted to find out which one of them was a Special just as badly as Nightkit. He glanced over his shoulder to see if Darkflower was still with their father. Raventail was keeping her busy, thankfully. "Let's do it out of camp though," he added after thinking it over.

_I don't wanna hurt anyone_, he thought guiltily.

He padded after his brother, ignoring the stinging rain as it began to pour again. By now most cats had returned to their nests. Fallenleaf was back on guard duty though, and Sleetkit knew they wouldn't get past her sharp eyes easily.

"We can use that area that I discovered," Nightkit whispered. "It's behind the dirtplace tunnel."

Confusion swept through Sleetkit as he followed his brother. He had never seen the secret entrance Nightkit was talking about. But as they crept into the dirtplace tunnel, Sleetkit noticed there were overgrown bushes surrounding it. Nightkit looked around warily before pushing aside the bushes.

Sleetkit bounded after his brother after Nightkit scrambled over the rocky walls. They were slippery, and Sleetkit almost tripped a few times. He let out a yelp of surprise before running after Nightkit. Nightkit looked over his shoulder to make sure that Sleetkit was still following.

Scents and sounds flooded through Sleetkit's lungs when he stepped into the undergrowth. His pelt prickled with unease when an icy wind blew past him. Nightkit was a few paces ahead when Sleetkit recovered from the surprise. Amusement coursed through Sleetkit as he padded after his brother. He wondered which part of the forest this was.

"This seems like a good spot to practice," Nightkit mewed after settling on a patch of ferns. By now Sleetkit's fur was soaked through by the rain. Nightkit was shivering from the cold, but Sleetkit felt nothing but warmth.

_Is that normal_? he wondered.

He pushed aside the growing unease and wondered how they would figure this out. Nightkit seemed just as confused, but he was staring at Sleetkit as if seeking answers. Sleetkit only shook his head, still unsure of whether or not this was even a good idea.

"So how exactly does this thing work?" Nightkit finally asked.

"I don't know," Sleetkit admitted with a shrug.

Maybe concentrating would help. Sleetkit focused his attention on finding out any abilities he might have. His face faltered when nothing happened. Nightkit looked like he was ready to burst with laughter when he saw Sleetkit's expression.

"You look like a fox that missed it's prey!" Nightkit squeaked after purring with laughter.

"I bet you can't do better," Sleetkit retorted.

Nightkit's whiskers twitched with amusement before he tried what Sleetkit had done. Heartbeats later and Nightkit was scowling in frustration. Sleetkit held back his own fit of laughter as Nightkit swatted a wad of moss at him.

"Okay, maybe it isn't as easy as I thought it would be," Nightkit muttered.

Sleetkit looked at his brother thoughtfully for a few heartbeats. "Maybe we could just explore the forest," he meowed. The rain had finally stopped, giving them time to warm up their pelts as they tan through the forest.

His brother nodded in agreement. Sleetkit wasted no time in running off deeper into the forest. Nightkit was hot on his trail, easily keeping up with him.

Trees whirled past Sleetkit as he ran ahead. Soon the fresh scent of pine hit Sleetkit's lungs. He stopped running when they reached a clearing surrounded by pines. His pelt prickled with unease when he picked up another stench in the air.

"Yuck, what's that smell?" Nightkit had read Sleetkit's mind when he reached his side.

"I thought I heard something!" Fear suddenly wormed it's way into Sleetkit's heart. Another cat was approaching them! "What are kits doing out here?" The voice belonged to a light gray she-cat. Sleetkit realized that this cat was just an apprentice. She looked like Scorchpaw and Adderpaw had when they first became apprentices.

"ThunderClan kits," hissed another cat. A light brown tabby stepped beside the light gray she-cat. "Mintpaw, you better go and warn Lakestar that there are intruders," he added to the apprentice. Mintpaw looked at Sleetkit and Nightkit warily before dashing off into the darkness. "What are you doing here?" The light brown tabby looked back at the trembling kits.

"I'm not afraid of you!" Sleetkit spat. His pelt was standing on end, but Nightkit was trembling so badly that Sleetkit was sure the light brown tabby could hear his bones rattling.

"You should be afraid of me," the light brown tabby snorted. "But the warrior code states that I cannot harm a kit, even if it does stink of ThunderClan."

Indignation crawled through Sleetkit's fur. This cat was snobby, just like Sleetkit had heard. Rumors flew around ThunderClan that every ShadowClan warrior was like this cat. But Sleetkit knew that this cat could easily hurt him if he wanted to.

"I think they went this way." Sleetkit's ears flattened when he recognized Adderpaw's familiar mew. The Clan was never going to let them live this one down.

"Snakepelt!" Sleetkit recognized Thistletail's voice.

"Do these kits belong to you?" Snakepelt asked warily.

"I believe they do," Thistletail replied.

"Next time keep a better eye on them," Snakepelt hissed. "Don't let me catch you sneaking around our territory again." He looked down at the trembling kits.

It was than Sleetkit noticed something strange in Snakepelt's eyes. They had an eerie, almost greenish glow to them. A shiver ran down Sleetkit's spine. This cat was different from the other warriors, and Sleetkit would remember not to cross him in battle.

Sleetkit let out a yelp of surprise when Thistletail picked him up by the scruff. Adderpaw snatched up Nightkit while Snakepelt continued watching them. Sleetkit couldn't help looking over his shoulder. Something told him that this was far from over. Darkflower and Raventail were going to claw their ears off when they got back to camp.


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: So I decided to take out the names of the chapters, in case anyone had noticed. This could've been part of the last chapter, but I took it out due to the length being too much for some readers. So here is chapter three! Thanks to An Angel's Soft Whispers and Jaysong of ThunderClan for reviewing!**

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**CHAPTER THREE**

Shame crawled through Sleetkit as he listened to his mother scold him. Raventail sat beside her, looking away as if this was too much for him. He didn't want his mother or father to be angry with him. But Sleetkit only wanted to know which of them was a Special.

"Nightkit, you better go and visit Kestrelfoot," Darkflower sighed after Nightkit sneezed.

Sleetkit looked at his brother warily as Nightkit nodded in agreement. He sneezed again after making his way to Kestrelfoot's den.

_I hope he doesn't have a cold_, Sleetkit thought. That would only make their adventure worse. And it would make Sleetkit feel worse. He shouldn't have agreed to Nightkit's plan. Darkflower was right when she had called them both reckless mousebrains.

"Alright, I think you've had enough of an adventure today," Darkflower murmured. "It's time for you to get back to your nest."

"I have patrols to set up for tomorrow," Raventail added. He nuzzled Darkflower affectionately before returning to his duties.

The young kit watched his father longingly. He wished he could join Raventail on a hunting patrol. Even a border patrol would suit Sleetkit just fine. But after today Sleetkit doubted he would even be allowed out of the nursery.

With a sigh Sleetkit followed his mother into the nursery. Honeykit and her siblings were already fast asleep. Palepelt had one eye open when Darkflower entered the nursery. Her belly was huge, and her kits would arrive any day now. At least Sleetkit had more denmates to look forward to.

. . .

Voices surrounded Sleetkit. He struggled to comprehend what they were whispering. They sounded angry, like they were arguing with one another. In a way it reminded Sleetkit of how Raventail and Darkflower would argue about the Specials.

Slowly he opened his eyes, only to find a heavy mist surrounding him. In the distance Sleetkit saw nothing but darkness. He let out a choking cry that seemed to silence the angry voices.

"Where am I?" he demanded as loudly as he could.

"Calm down furball, you're in safe paws." Sleetkit froze when he heard a cat speaking to him.

He looked around, panic welling inside until he spotted a pair of bright amber eyes looking back at him. It took him a few heartbeats to realize that it was a tortoiseshell she-cat who spoke up. He took a step back before feeling a wall of rock behind him.

"Don't bother running away," the she-cat meowed. "This place is where the Specials meet with their ancestors."

_Specials_... _does that mean_... Sleetkit tried to wrap the thoughts around him. Amusement gleamed in the she-cat's eyes when she saw how conflicted he looked.

"Stop scaring him, Leafbreeze," hissed another cat. Sleetkit's fur stood on end when a second, pure white cat approached the tortoiseshell. His eyes were an icy blue, like the sky on a leafbare day. "Calm down young one," the tom murmured. "My name is Snowpelt, and I am here to share something with you."

"Does this mean I'm the Clan's Special?" Sleetkit's voice came out as a squeak. His fur felt hot with embarrassment when Leafbreeze purred.

"You will find out soon enough," she replied.

Unease gripped at Sleetkit's heart as he followed them. The fog was beginning to fade as they walked deeper into the clearing. More cats began to show themselves. Sleetkit realized that these cats were all the Specials before him.

"This is the border between our world and StarClan," Snowpelt explained when they reached a wide river. "Touch the water and see what happens."

Sleetkit glanced at Snowpelt warily. The white tom simply flicked his tail as he waited for Sleetkit's move. With a sigh of frustration, he dipped his paw into the water.

He let out a yowl of shock when the water began to freeze over. Heartbeats later and a bridge was formed between the river and land. Snowpelt's eyes glowed with pride as Sleetkit stared at the ice-bridge in disbelief.

"How did I do that?" Sleetkit's voice came out in a whisper.

"You have the power over ice," Snowpelt replied. "I have the same power, only my pelt is cold as ice as well. Now that we know your power you can begin your training."

"Training?" Sleetkit echoed. His mind was whirling with questions as Snowpelt sat down with his tail wrapped around his paws.

"Yes, as a Special you must learn to master your ability, which at this point you have not done," Snowpelt meowed. "It is our duty as your ancestors to train you."

_So I'll have two mentors_! The thought sent thrills of excitement through Sleetkit. He couldn't believe this was actually happening to him. Of all the cats in the Clan, even Nightkit would've made a better Special. He was brave and smart. But than Sleetkit remembered what Darkflower had told them.

"I think it's time for this one to get back to his nest," Leafbreeze murmured. "We don't train Specials until they become apprentices."

"But how will I protect myself if I don't know-" Sleetkit was cut off by Snowpelt's stern look.

"Instinct will kick in," he meowed. "Remember that you are ThunderClan's Special, and you hold a different destiny."

Sleetkit bowed his head after realizing that Snowpelt was right. Being a Special meant that the Clan's destiny weighed on his shoulders.

He closed his eyes and found himself in the nursery once more after opening them. Darkflower was still fast asleep, but he realized that the nest beside him was empty. For a moment he wondered why Nightkit wasn't with him, until he remembered what had happened.

"Is Nightkit going to be okay?" he asked in a low whisper.

"Nightkit is sick," Darkflower murmured after waking up. She licked him between the ears, slowly comforting him. "He had the chills while you were asleep. I took him to Kestrelfoot."

_StarClan_, _don't let him die_! Sleetkit begged silently. He didn't want to lose his brother, and his best friend. Nightkit was the only one who understood him. Sleetkit couldn't imagine his life without his brother. He could only hope that Kestrelfoot knew what he was doing. And that Nightkit wasn't sick because of their adventure.


	5. Chapter 4

**AN: Sorry for the late update. But here's the next chapter, and you get a POV from another character. The only time this will happen ^^ Thanks to Jaysong of ThunderClan, Luridwind and Silentclaws for reviewing!**

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**CHAPTER FOUR**

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Sleetkit was jolted awake from his sleep when he heard Hollystar's yowl. He glanced at his nest to see that Nightkit had not yet returned from the medicine cat's den.

"It's our apprentice ceremony!" Honeykit's squeal made Sleetkit realize that he was five moons old now. Honeykit's fur was well-groomed while her other siblings were given a full wash.

"By naming apprentices we show that our Clan will remain strong." Hollystar began the meeting as Sleetkit followed the other three kits out of the nursery. Darkflower was sitting beside Raventail as she watched the ceremony unfold. "Come forward you three." Hollystar flicked her tail over to the three kits. "Honeykit, until you have received your warrior name you will be known as Honeypaw. Crowtalon, you are ready for an apprentice. You have mentored Cricketfur into a fine warrior, and I expect you to do the same with Honeypaw."

Honeypaw's eyes glowed with happiness as she touched noses with Crowtalon. She followed him back to the crowd, chest swelled with pride. Jealousy clawed at Sleetkit's heart as he watched them. He wished he could join them now!

"Larchkit, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Larchpaw. Leafclaw, you have shown exceptional fighting skills, and I expect you to pass on your knowledge to Larchpaw." The young cat touched noses with Leafclaw, who seemed just as pleased with Hollystar's decision.

"Brownkit, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Brownpaw. Dewstep, you too are ready for an apprentice. You are a fine warrior, and I expect you to pass on what you know to Brownpaw."

"Honeypaw! Larchpaw! Brownpaw!" Reluctantly Sleetkit joined in the cheers. New apprentices meant that Adderpaw and Scorchpaw would soon become warriors. And Sleetkit was one step closer to becoming an apprentice.

_And the next Special of ThunderClan_, he added silently.

He glanced at his mother warily. Darkflower had said nothing about the adventure that had nearly gotten them killed. Her eyes were dark with worry though when he got a good look at them. A shiver ran down his spine when he realized that she was watching _Raventail_.

_Why would she be worried about our father_? he wondered. Did Darkflower know more than she was letting on? Sleetkit only shook his head as Honeypaw approached him.

Instinct kicked in, and he puffed out his chest to make himself look bigger. Honeypaw let out a _mrrow_ of laughter and swatted his ear with her paw.

"I'll miss seeing you, furball," she purred.

"We won't be in separate dens for long!" Sleetkit retorted.

Amusement gleamed within Honeypaw's eyes before she was called over by her mentor. Sleetkit could only roll his eyes as he watched her leave. Soon enough he would be joining her, but for now he had to stay in the nursery.

Sleetkit glared after Honeypaw when she was gone. He wished that he could join her now more than ever. But Darkflower was restricting him to the nursery, or the nursery's entrance. Even if he wanted to make dirt she would keep an eye on him.

"Alright, back to your nest," Darkflower growled as she approached him.

"But I want to see Nightkit!" Sleetkit protested.

"Nightkit is sleeping right now," Darkflower replied. Her eyes became dark as she looked at the medicine cat's den. "Let him rest for now."

Annoyance flared within Sleetkit. She herded him back into the nursery after the meeting drew to an end. Sleetkit felt his claws sheathe and unsheathe with frustration.

None of this would be happening if he and Nightkit had stayed in camp. Why didn't he try to reason with his brother?

_Because I wanted to know as much as he did_, Sleetkit realized. He felt a lump form in his throat at the thought. It was his fault Nightkit was sick. And if Nightkit didn't get any better, he would never forgive himself.

. . .

Kestrelfoot was pacing in his den as anxiety coursed through him. Nightkit was still shivering from the sickness that had gotten to him. Kestrelfoot wasn't even sure if it was whitecough or greencough. But he did know that Nightkit wouldn't survive.

"I hope all is well." Kestrelfoot froze in midstep as he heard Hollystar's voice.

He turned to see his sister watching him carefully. Her tail flicked from side to side as she waited for his response.

"Yes, Hollystar," he grumbled. "I'm just worried."

"Nightkit isn't the Special, is he?" Hollystar's amber gaze was filled with worry.

"No." The words felt hollow in Kestrelfoot's throat.

"Good, I was worried we would loose another Special," Hollystar finally sighed. "You remember what happened to Fiercewind," she added warily.

Fiercewind had been the Special before Raventail's kit. She had a case of greencough, and it began to spread. When Kestrelfoot's mentor had run out of catmint, Fiercewind managed to find some out in the forest. But it had cost her her life.

Kestrelfoot remembered watching his mentor desperately trying to save Fiercewind's life. Fiercewind had refused to accept the last bits of catmint, saying the Clan needed it more than she did. She had died the following night in her sleep.

"I wish Alderfern could cure sickness," he rasped.

"No Special has ever done that," Hollystar meowed. "We're lucky to have a medicine cat like you."

"So what will you do with Sleetkit?" Kestrelfoot eyed her suspiciously.

His sister always had some plan under her paws. He remembered how she had become deputy when there were better choices above her. She had the Clan leader wrapped around her paws, willing to listen to anything she said.

"I don't know yet," Hollystar admitted. "Normally the Special is trained by another Special, but Sleetkit's destiny is a bit different."

"Yes, unfortunately..." Kestrelfoot looked down at the trembling Nightkit. He was mewling in his sleep, as if fighting off some monster in his dream. "I would let Whiskerclaw train him. Whiskerclaw was Fiercewind's brother, so maybe he has knowledge we don't."

Hollystar's eyes widened when she realized that Kestrelfoot was right. As much as she hated to admit it, Sleetkit would need a skilled mentor. She had never trained a Special before. And she doubted she would ever gain that opportunity.

"Very well, Whiskerclaw will be his mentor," Hollystar murmured.

Kestrelfoot watched as she disappeared from his den. Normally he'd be grateful that she was gone. But what she had told him sent thrills of worry down his spine.

She had some kind of plan for Sleetkit. Kestrelfoot knew that Whiskerclaw would train the young kit well. But knowing that Hollystar was planning something made Kestrelfoot realize that Sleetkit needed to be watched.

He looked back at Nightkit. A lump formed in his throat when he realized that Nightkit wouldn't survive. He had done everything he could for the little kit. But Nightkit wasn't responding to the herbs he'd treated him with.

_I wish there was something I could do for you_, Kestrelfoot thought.

He hated watching cats die, especially after his mentor had lost Fiercewind and so many other cats. His mentor had told him that this was part of being a medicine cat. There were always going to be risks. And he needed to accept that. He only hoped that Darkflower would forgive him in the future.


	6. Chapter 5

**AN: Here's chapter five! Special thanks to Jaysong of ThunderClan, An Angel's Soft Whispers and Leepyr for reviewing! Let me know what you thought of this chapter :D**

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**CHAPTER FIVE**

Days passed as Sleetkit waited for Nightkit to recover. He was getting bored, being the only kit in the nursery. Brownpaw would often visit him and teach him some hunting moves. Raventail would teach him the proper way to use his claws. But after a few days Sleetkit mastered everything Brownpaw had learned.

He tossed a wad of moss across the clearing. Darkflower was speaking with Whiskerclaw as Raventail set out patrols. Palepelt's kits had finally arrived, giving Sleetkit the chance to finally have some denmates. She had a litter of four kits, and that was big for ThunderClan.

Whitekit was a white she-cat with tabby markings along her tail. Beekit was a small pale brown tom with tabby stripes. Marshkit looked exactly like her mother, aside from the ginger paws. And last, but not least, was Redkit. He had light ginger fur with faint tabby markings like his siblings.

A few cats had questioned Palepelt about who the father was. She simply said it didn't matter. But Sleetkit had a feeling they meant more to Palepelt than she was letting on. He often saw her soothing her kits as if she was afraid someone would take them. One night he even saw her clawing at her nest, begging someone for mercy.

_Whatever problem she has_, _she can leave me out of it_, he thought with a roll of his eyes.

She-cats were more complicated than Clan politics as far as Sleetkit was concerned. He'd tried talking to Honeypaw the other day, and she flat-out refused to listen. He noticed the way she was staring at Adderpaw. Than he realized that Honeypaw had _feelings_ for Adderpaw, whatever that meant.

"Come on Sleetkit, we're visiting Nightkit," Darkflower meowed after saying goodbye to Whiskerclaw.

Sleetkit looked at his mother in surprise. A dark look clouded her eyes though. Fear wormed it's way into Sleetkit's belly as he followed her.

Kestrelfoot was waiting for them outside his den. His fur was well-groomed, as if he'd been planning this for a while. Raventail was waiting for them as well, much to Sleetkit's surprise.

"I'm sorry, truly I am," the medicine cat rasped. "I tried everything I could."

"He's in a better place now," Raventail murmured.

Horror coursed through Sleetkit when he realized where this was going. He stared at Darkflower and Raventail in disbelief. How could they be taking this so well?

Kestrelfoot stepped aside to let Sleetkit barge past him. Sleetkit's eyes widened when he saw that the bedding from Nightkit's nest had been removed. He picked up the stench of herbs in the air. Kestrelfoot had said that he did everything he could.

His brother wasn't moving. As much as Sleetkit tried prodding him, Nightkit didn't stir. Pain clenched at Sleetkit's belly when he realized the cold truth.

Darkflower padded into the den, tail dragging across the ground. Her head was bowed low as she looked down at the tiny kit. Sleetkit looked back at his mother, hoping she would wake him.

"My little warrior." A chill swept down Sleetkit's spine as Darkflower let out a splitting wail. "Why has StarClan done this to me?"

He was almost afraid to tell his mother the truth. Nightkit was dead because of him. Darkflower nuzzled Nightkit as if trying to wake him. Sleetkit wished there was more he could do for his mother and brother.

_I'm responsible for his death_, he thought bitterly.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Sleetkit flinched as he heard Hollystar's voice.

He turned to see Kestrelfoot standing at the den's entrance. A look of wariness clouded Kestrelfoot's eyes as he bowed his head.

"You should join them," he murmured.

"No, I'm not leaving him!" Darkflower spat. Her pelt began to stand on end. Sleetkit took a startled step back when he saw how angry she really was.

"It will take time for her to recover," Kestrelfoot murmured sympathetically.

"But I'm still alive," Sleetkit mewed. He kept his voice quiet, hoping Darkflower wouldn't hear the desperate longing in it.

He didn't bother fighting back as Kestrelfoot herded him outside. By now the Clan was gathered around the Highledge. Raventail stayed near the medicine cat's den, keeping an anxious look at the entrance.

Sleetkit wondered if Raventail hated him as much as Darkflower did now. His ears flattened in remorse as he sat between Thistletail and Leafclaw.

"It is time for two apprentices to become warriors," Hollystar began. "Raventail, Morningsong, do you believe your apprentices are ready to become warriors?"

"Scorchpaw has learned everything he needs to become a warrior," Raventail meowed. His voice sounded hollow. Sleetkit looked at his father in surprise. Didn't Raventail care that his own apprentice was becoming a warrior?

"Adderpaw is more than ready," Morningsong replied.

"Then I, Hollystar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon these apprentices. They have learned hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Adderpaw, Scorchpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," Adderpaw meowed. His voice rang with confidence as he looked up at Hollystar.

"I do." Scorchpaw's chest was puffed out with pride.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Adderpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Adderstrike. StarClan honors you for your courage and fighting skills, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

Hollystar jumped down to touch noses with Adderstrike, whose eyes were bright with triumph. In respect Adderstrike gave her shoulder a lick.

"Scorchpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Scorchwind. StarClan honors you for your speed and ability to prove yourself, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

Sleetkit didn't miss the unease that rippled between the Clan. He looked at Hollystar in confusion and wondered why wind was such a bad part of a name.

Then he remembered that Fiercewind had been the Clan's last Special. She was the one who had died fighting greencough. She sacrificed her life so the Clan had more catmint during leafbare.

"Adderstrike! Scorchwind!" The Clan cheered their names after the ceremony drew to an end. Hollystar jumped back onto the Highledge and waited until the clearing fell silent.

"I also wish to perform one more ceremony," she meowed. "A kit has reached his sixth moon, and he is ready to become a warrior."

Almost at once, hushed whispers surged through the gathered crowd. Sleetkit felt his ears burn with embarrassment. He guessed they were wondering why Nightkit wasn't with him. No one knew that Nightkit was even gone yet.

"By naming apprentices we show that our Clan will remain strong. Sleetkit, step forward." Hollystar flicked her tail towards Sleetkit. By now his legs were trembling with anxiety. He nearly stumbled forward after Leafclaw nudged him. "Sleetkit, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Sleetpaw. Whiskerclaw, you are a skilled and experienced warrior. I expect you to pass on what you have learned to Sleetpaw."

His eyes closed as he touched noses with Whiskerclaw. The senior warrior didn't seem as startled as the rest of the Clan. In fact, he looked eerily calm.

"What about Nightkit?" Sleetpaw glared at Hollystar as she jumped down from the Highledge.

"Nightkit's place is in StarClan," Hollystar replied.

Sleetpaw glared at Hollystar once more. She didn't even flinch. His claws unsheathed as anger surged through him.

Why wasn't Hollystar taking this seriously? He looked over his shoulder and saw that Raventail had padded into the medicine cat's den. His own father didn't even watch him become an apprentice!

_I won't let you get away with this_! he thought bitterly. _Hollystar doesn't even care that my brother died_.

He wasn't going to forgive Hollystar. Not now, and not ever.


	7. Chapter 6

**AN: Blech, sorry for this annoyingly short chapter. But it was more of a filler than anything else. Plus you finally get to meet an important character! Thanks to Icefeather, Jaysong of ThunderClan, and Nightfeather of ThunderClan for reviewing!**

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**CHAPTER SIX**

"There's a nest over here where Adderstrike used to sleep," Honeypaw mewed when Sleetpaw padded into the den.

It was smaller than what he was used to, but at this point Sleetpaw didn't care. His mind felt numb with exhaustion after everything that had happened.

"Thanks," he muttered as he circled the dried moss. It would need to be replaced by tomorrow.

"I'm sorry about what happened to Nightkit," Honeypaw added. Her voice was soft as she looked down at her nest.

"It wasn't your fault." It was Hollystar's fault.

Those words rang in his ears as he glared outside the den. He would never forgive Hollystar for what she had done.

He curled up in his nest, hoping that sleep would ease the gnawing guilt at his heart. But as his tail wrapped around his nose, he knew that he could never forget what had happened to Nightkit. His brother was dead because of him.

. . .

"You're an apprentice now!" Sleetpaw nearly leaped out of his fur when he recognized Leafbreeze's mew.

He blinked as darkness circled around him. A few heartbeats passed and the darkness was replaced by a vast meadow. Large, ancient looking trees surrounded them. Leafbreeze was standing at the center of the meadow with several other cats around her.

"I think we can all see that," meowed a young looking she-cat. Her pelt was a pale golden shade, and her eyes were dark green. "It is time to begin your training as a Special," she added when Sleetpaw looked at her curiously.

"Give him a chance to breathe, Fiercewind," Snowpelt grumbled as he stepped out of the crowd.

Sleetpaw held back a gasp of surprise when Snowpelt called the cat Fiercewind. She was ThunderClan's last Special! _She_ was the one who had died when greencough struck the Clan! No wonder the Clan had been so uneasy when Scorchwind received his warrior name.

"So I start my training now?" he asked warily.

"I will be your mentor," Fiercewind purred. "Normally the Special trains the future Special of the Clan. But since my time came a bit quickly, you haven't had the chance to show your true power."

_How can she be so happy_? Sleetpaw wondered. She didn't even seem to mind that she had died at such a young age. Maybe she had known all along that she was going to die.

"The first thing a Special learns is how to harness their powers," Fiercewind explained. "I harnessed my powers when I was just a kit. I'm sure you already know what my power is." She eyed Sleetpaw as if expecting him to answer. "Take a wild guess... my name comes from my power," she added after an awkward silence followed.

"You can control wind!" Sleetpaw's eyes widened when he realized how mousebrained he was.

Amusement gleamed within Fiercewind's eyes. "Yes, I can control wind," she purred. "I doubt your mother even realized that you would be the next Special, but your name also includes part of your power."

He thought about how he had frozen the river between the borders. What Snowpelt had showed him was true. But he still didn't even know how to control ice. Maybe Fiercewind or Snowpelt would show him how.

"Right then." Fiercewind beckoned him with her tail after getting to her paws. "I'll show you the training circle."

The newly named apprentice trotted after her as she led him across the meadow. The trees began to spread apart, and finally Sleetpaw could see the sky. He was surprised to see starlight in the inky black sky. Was this what StarClan looked like?

Fiercewind stopped when they reached a part of the forest that looked cleared down. Surprise flared within Sleetpaw when he saw four large rocks surrounding what looked like another clearing. Fiercewind stood at the center of the clearing, tail sweeping across the grass as she looked down at Sleetpaw.

"This is where newly named Specials are trained, if their mentors have passed away," she explained. "Here you will learn the basics. But once you discover your true power, you must learn to control it on your own." She paused as she let this information sink in. Sleetpaw nodded in understanding. He would learn for Nightkit's sake. "Are you ready?"

Sleetpaw looked at Fiercewind thoughtfully before nodding once more. "I want to learn," he murmured.

"Good. Now this move is something I picked up while watching Snowpelt. He was ShadowClan's last Special." Fiercewind didn't miss the look of surprise in Sleetpaw's eyes.

_He's so friendly compared to Snakepelt_! he thought.

Fiercewind dropped to a hunter's crouch. Sleetpaw remembered what Brownpaw had shown him. Her tail was tucked between her legs while she gazed across the clearing. He noticed that she was focusing on one of the large rocks.

Sleetpaw's eyes widened in shock when wind blasted between the rock. Fiercewind didn't even have to open her mouth, or move her paws. Her gaze was so focused on the rocks that she could move the wind without thinking.

"That move is a simple one. Even an apprentice can learn it," she told him.

Sleetpaw looked at her nervously before padding to her side. He stared at the rock like she had. His attention was focused on finding his inner strength. Fiercewind made it look so easy, he hoped it would be for him.

His heart nearly skipped a beat when snow erupted from his paws. His aim was a bit off, but he managed to do what Fiercewind had done. She let out a warm purr of approval as he stood up and shook out his ruffled fur.

"Not bad for a rookie," she whispered. "Keep practicing those moves on your own. These rocks will amplify your powers, so you must use them sparingly here."

_What does she mean by that_? Sleetpaw looked at her in confusion.

But Fiercewind was already dissolving. Sleetpaw narrowed his eyes when she disappeared completely. By now the forest had been replaced by the apprentice's den after he blinked several times.

_Practice my powers on my own_, he told himself. He would show the Clan that he was their next Special. And when he finally harnessed his powers, he would show the Clan what Hollystar truly was. She didn't care about the Clan's future as far as he was concerned. And he would die proving it.

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**AN: So what do you think of Fiercewind? She'll have a much bigger roll to play in future chapters. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! :D**


	8. Chapter 7

**AN: Hoozah! Finally got this chapter written and finished. And thanks to Icefeather, Jaysong of ThunderClan, Silentclaws, and Icesong for reviewing! You're awesome reviewers :D**

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**CHAPTER SEVEN**

A paw prodded Sleetpaw's side. He let out a groan of annoyance before turning around in his nest. The paw prodded again. This time Sleetpaw's eyes snapped open. He was about to make a retort until he realized what day it was.

His first day as an apprentice! He nearly leaped out of his paws as the thought dawned on him.

Larchpaw sat outside the den's entrance after he gave his pelt a good grooming. Embarrassment washed over Sleetpaw when he realized how late it was. He crawled out of his nest after shaking the last scraps of moss out of his fur.

"Whiskerclaw wanted to see you at the camp's entrance," she meowed.

She looked over to where her father was waiting for him. Sleetpaw's ears flattened when he saw how annoyed Whiskerclaw looked.

_My first day as an apprentice and I slept in_, he thought angrily. Maybe his training with Fiercewind had left him more exhausted than he realized.

Darkflower and Raventail weren't anywhere to be seen after he reached Whiskerclaw's side. He had hoped to see his mother and father one more time before going out as an apprentice. But since the night his brother had died, they had avoided him.

"I'll be showing you the territory," Whiskerclaw announced.

For the first time since becoming an apprentice, excitement coursed through Sleetpaw. His last adventure through the forest had ended miserably. But now he had his powers to rely on. He would use them if anyone got in his way.

Whiskerclaw started off at a swift pace after padding through the thorn tunnel.

Scents and noises surrounded Sleetpaw as he opened his lungs. A warm breeze smoothed down his fur. The forest felt more welcoming now that he was an apprentice. He would keep an eye out for any enemies that dared cross the border.

"This is the border between WindClan and ThunderClan," Whiskerclaw explained as they reached a clearing.

Sleetpaw's ears pricked forward when he heard a stream running nearby. Trees surrounded the clearing, making it impossible for him to see where anything was. His fur bristled slightly as he imagined a WindClan cat stalking through the undergrowth.

"Why would WindClan live here?" he asked.

"Long ago Onestar and Firestar fought for this territory," his mentor told him. "There were many bitter battles, and in the end Firestar surrendered the territory to Onestar, in the hopes to rekindle their old friendship."

He remembered hearing stories of the old days. Briarthorn had explained this to him a few moons ago. Firestar and Onestar had been good friends until Onestar became WindClan's leader. Than everything changed. Onestar had felt the need to prove himself in front of his Clan.

_I hope I never have to go through that_, Sleetpaw thought.

"Do you smell that?" Whiskerclaw suddenly asked.

"Smell what?" Sleetpaw looked at his mentor in confusion before he realized that this was a test. Quickly he opened his mouth to taste the air. Heather filled his lungs. He remembered the scent from his adventure with Nightkit. "I smell WindClan," he admitted.

"Good, remember their scents well," he warned his apprentice. "They often think crossing the border is a good thing to do."

"Like you haven't done that." Sleetpaw's fur stood on end when he heard the sneer.

A tawny colored she-cat emerged from the undergrowth. Sleetpaw narrowed his eyes when she just avoided crossing the border. Beside her were two other cats, a gray and white she-cat and a young looking pale ginger tom with piercing green eyes.

"Mudwhisker, it has been a while, hasn't it?" Whiskerclaw meowed.

"Indeed." Mudwhisker's eyes flashed with curiosity. "I see ThunderClan has a new apprentice. Is he the Clan's Special?"

Sleetpaw felt his blood run cold when the two cats beside her glared. Whiskerclaw simply tilted his head to one side, as if considering the answer.

"No, ThunderClan has lost it's Special," he replied.

"You make that sound like a good thing," the gray and white she-cat scoffed. Her eyes were narrowed into tiny slits as she studied Sleetpaw's gaze.

Unease rippled through him as he looked anywhere besides her. The pale ginger tom smirked when he noticed how uneasy Sleetpaw looked.

"We were just marking the border." It sounded like Whiskerclaw was trying to avoid a fight.

"Good, we'll rip your fur off if you cross the border!" the pale ginger tom spat. The fur along his spine was beginning to bristle. Sleetpaw's eyes widened when he noticed there were sparks dancing along the young cat's fur.

His order earned a slap across the muzzle by Mudwhisker's tail. She glared at him before letting the other two leave. Whiskerclaw seemed more relaxed once they were gone. Sleetpaw continued staring after the two cats until they disappeared into the undergrowth.

"Ivypelt is a bit... unusual," Mudwhisker murmured. "But she's a good mentor to Lightningpaw." She paused before looking back at Whiskerclaw. "I hope you weren't serious about the Clan's newest Special," she added in a more serious tone. "You of all cats should know how important the Special is."

"I haven't forgotten," Whiskerclaw replied. He stiffened beside Sleetpaw, as if Mudwhisker had said something inappropriate. Sleetpaw glanced at his mentor in confusion before shaking his head. "We need to carry on," he added to Sleetpaw.

He dipped his head to Mudwhisker before stalking away from the clearing. Sleetpaw looked back at Mudwhisker one last time before bounding after his mentor. The same feeling of unease rushed back as soon as they were far enough from the clearing.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

"Mudwhisker and I have always been good friends," Whiskerclaw explained. "She's only worried about the Clan's future."

_Why would an enemy cat care about ThunderClan's fate_? Sleetpaw wondered. Mudwhisker had been so hostile towards them a few heartbeats ago. There had been real concern in her eyes when Ivypelt and Lightningpaw left.

Confusion swept through Sleetpaw as he followed Whiskerclaw throughout the territory. They reached the training hollow soon after leaving the WindClan clearing. Sleetpaw held back a purr of amusement when he watched Honeypaw miss her mentor by a whisker.

Whiskerclaw stopped for a moment to watch his daughter practice. Crowtalon and Honeypaw were squaring each other up. Honeypaw was on one side of the clearing, while Crowtalon was on the other side. Sleetpaw watched with interest as Honeypaw rushed forward. Crowtalon saw the move coming and braced himself. In a split heartbeat, Honeypaw saw the opening and curved her front paw to the right. Crowtalon let out a hiss of annoyance when his leg crumpled beneath him.

"You've got that move down, I see," Whiskerclaw purred after the two recovered from their sparring.

"Yeah, it took me long enough," Honeypaw mewed. Her head ducked in embarrassment when Crowtalon flicked his tail across her shoulder. "Are you joining us?" She looked back at Sleetpaw curiously.

"I'm showing Sleetpaw the territory today," Whiskerclaw explained. "You might went to mark the WindClan border before you get back," he added to Crowtalon. "We ran across a patrol, but they didn't cross."

Crowtalon dipped his head in understanding. Sleetpaw almost wished he could join them as Whiskerclaw led the way once more. By now clouds had begun to gather around the sky, blocking out the warm sun. Sleetpaw had a feeling it wouldn't be long before it started raining.

The trees above were taller now than ever. Sleetpaw looked up and saw they were reaching for the sky. Leaves were beginning to grow back, providing more shade and shelter from the rain. The rich scent of prey filled Sleetpaw's lungs when he opened his mouth.

"There's a mouse scuffling in the undergrowth nearby," Whiskerclaw whispered. "Do you remember your hunting moves?"

Sleetpaw looked at him in surprise before nodding. He pinpointed the mouse's location. It was hiding under a pile of leaves, nibbling away carelessly. He dropped to a hunter's crouch and began moving slowly towards the creature. His claws unsheathed as he lunged forward. The mouse hardly noticed his sudden appearance as he gave it a killing bite.

Pride swelled within him when he returned to Whiskerclaw's side. The ginger-brown tom looked both surprised and pleased.

"Well done," he purred. "You'd better bury it where you can remember." He nodded to the smallest tree in the forest.

Sleetpaw followed his gaze and did as he was told. Once the task was finished, he bounded after Whiskerclaw as they continued exploring the forest. Whiskerclaw led him to the Sky Oak, a huge tree that seemed to tower above the others. After that he was shown the abandoned Twoleg nest.

"This is the border between ThunderClan and ShadowClan," Whiskerclaw explained.

A stench filled Sleetpaw's lungs. The scent was familiar, reminding him of his adventure with Nightkit.

_Nightkit_, _I wish you were with me_, he thought bitterly.

"Looks like ShadowClan is still fast asleep," Whiskerclaw commented after marking the border.

"Good," Sleetpaw muttered under his breath.

The last thing he wanted to do was start another fight. He and his brother had been lucky the ShadowClan patrol didn't attack him. He didn't expect them to be so friendly this time.

Relief washed over Sleetpaw's shoulders as they made a return for camp. By now his paws felt heavy with exhaustion. He grabbed the mouse he had killed and followed Whiskerclaw back to camp. The rain finally began falling by the time they reached the hollow.

"You can give that mouse to Briarthorn," Whiskerclaw told him after they padded through the thorn tunnel.

He held on to his catch until he padded across the clearing. Raventail and Darkflower were still nowhere to be seen after he looked for them.

_Let them ignore me_, he reminded himself. _I'll prove I'm better than they realized_. First he needed to prove that Hollystar had killed Nightkit on purpose. Than he would prove to his parents that he was a worthy apprentice. One day he would show them all.

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**AN: I only just realized that the border between ThunderClan and WindClan is wrong in my story XD It's a forest, not a clearing. That will be fixed in future chapters, I promise! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter!**


	9. Chapter 8

**AN: Finally updated ^^" But here's chapter eight. Not a very exciting chapter, but you learn more about the Specials. And special thanks to Jaysong of ThunderClan, Silentclaws and Icefeather for reviewing!**

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**CHAPTER EIGHT**

He was dreaming again. The Specials before him were waiting in the clearing like they had before. Leafbreeze held back a purr of amusement while Snowpelt glared at her. Sleetpaw noticed that a new cat had joined them. His fur was brown and white with dappled orange blended in.

"Berrytail, I'm surprised you could make it," Snowpelt meowed when the odd looking cat sat down.

"So this is ThunderClan's newest Special?" Berrytail sniffed. He looked down at Sleetpaw, whose eyes narrowed in annoyance. "I would have thought it would be a better looking cat."

"Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't had your ears clawed off yet," Fiercewind muttered with a roll of her eyes. She pushed her way past the crowd and stared at Sleetpaw. "Are you ready for more training?" When Sleetpaw nodded, Fiercewind looked back over her shoulder. "Good, we'll be heading for the usual spot than," she meowed.

Excitement coursed through Sleetpaw. Though he wondered who Berrytail was, it didn't matter at the moment. The Specials seemed tense around the newcomer. Perhaps he had some sort of history with the Clans that made them uneasy.

Fiercewind stopped at the training area. Once again the four large rocks loomed around them. Sleetpaw felt a sudden rush of energy course through him. He looked around in confusion as Fiercewind stood in front of him.

"Tonight I must show you how to control your powers," she meowed. "Many Specials have died because they lost control of their powers." Her eyes flashed with uncertainty before she glanced at one of the towering rocks. "For now, I need you to focus on how you used your power."

He looked at her warily before flicking his tail. He looked back at one of the rocks and focused on the icy cold that gripped his chest. Quick as a flash ice blasted from his paws. The icy blast split between the rock. Sleetpaw's eyes widened in alarm when he realized he didn't know how to stop it.

The young cat nearly leaped out of his fur when he felt a tail touch his shoulder. At once the ice stopped appearing. An odd sense of calm filled the clearing after that. Carefully and slowly he tried to calm himself. Fiercewind gave him a look of approval.

"Keeping calm in the darkest of times is your best option," she murmured. "However, there will be times when that isn't possible. In battle you must restrain yourself from using your powers, unless you are facing another Special."

That made sense. Sleetpaw could imagine sparking fear in every cat's life if he used his powers in battle. But facing another Special was completely different. Specials could easily defend themselves by using their powers. And Sleetpaw would make sure that he was no different.

"Thanks," he whispered after shuddering in relief.

"You should go back," Fiercewind said. She touched his forehead with her muzzle, and at once a surge of energy coursed through him. He closed his eyes and tried to focus his attention on her voice. "Walk well, young one," she whispered.

. . .

His eyes flashed open once the energy faded. He found himself back in the apprentice's den. Brownpaw was still in his nest, but Larchpaw and Honeypaw were gone.

_I'd better get something to eat before I go out_, he decided after stretching out his aching back. He felt invigorated after his training with Fiercewind. Part of him guessed that it was from that surge of energy she had given him.

Sleetpaw padded across the clearing and grabbed a shrew from the fresh-kill pile. At last he finally saw his mother for the first time in days. Darkflower was sitting alone by the warrior's den. A half-eaten mouse lay at her paws. Sleetpaw's ears flattened when he saw how grief-stricken she looked.

"Mother?" His word came out as a whisper, but he hoped that she would hear. Alarm surged through Sleetpaw when Darkflower didn't even look at him. She was staring at the half-eaten mouse as if it was the last thing she would ever see. "Darkflower, what's wrong?" He spoke a bit more loudly, hoping she would hear this time.

"Sleetpaw, it's better you leave her alone." Sleetpaw stiffened when he recognized Raventail's voice. "She's suffering enough."

"Why is she suffering?" he demanded in a cold voice. "I'm still alive!"

Raventail's eyes darkened before he stalked away, tail whipping from side to side.

_He doesn't even care_! Anger and frustration churned in his stomach. Once again the cold rush of hate ran through his blood. Sleetpaw tried to focus his attention on what Fiercewind had told him. _Don't let anger overwhelm me_, he begged silently.

"Are you okay?" Sleetpaw nearly leaped out of his fur in surprise. Honeypaw was at his side, eyes dark with concern. "You're trembling all over, like you have a fever or something," she added warily.

"I'm fine," he hissed.

Hurt clouded Honeypaw's gaze. Sleetpaw grabbed his shrew and padded back to where he usually sat. He didn't care if he had crushed her feelings. At this point he was too angry to bother noticing. All he wanted to do was spend some time with his mother again.

_It's like I don't even exist_! he thought. Did Darkflower blame him for Nightkit's death? A shiver ran down his spine at the thought. He could have stopped his brother from exploring the territory. But he wanted to find out who the Special was as badly as Nightkit.

"Sleetpaw, we're going for some battle training after you finish that shrew," Whiskerclaw announced after emerging from the warrior's den.

Sleetpaw looked at his mentor in surprise before giving him a nod. Finally, some real battle training! He quickly finished the shrew and bounded after his mentor. Whiskerclaw was quietly speaking to his sister, Morningsong.

"She seems happier than ever," Whiskerclaw was saying.

"That's good to hear," Morningsong murmured. "I just wish she would have stayed."

"Who would've stayed?" Sleetpaw asked. He glanced between the two. Morningsong's eyes widened in horror before she ducked her head in embarrassment. Whiskerclaw looked back at his sister. He gave her a flick over the ear with his tail.

"It's nothing, Sleetpaw," he purred. "I suppose it's time we got started." By now Sleetpaw could hardly sit still. Morningsong left them to discuss the day's activities. "Save that energy for some battle training would you?" Whiskerclaw muttered as he led the young cat to the thorn tunnel entrance.

He ducked his head after Whiskerclaw disappeared into the thorn tunnel. The day was clear and bright when Sleetpaw finally emerged in the forest. Birds were singing to one another as newleaf swept through the area. A warm breeze ruffled the back of his fur.

It felt good to get out camp. He could still feel Darkflower glaring at him after he trotted past her. The mouse had been left half-eaten. She had returned to the warrior's den, still shooting glares at Sleetpaw. He tried to ignore the glares, telling himself that one day he would prove it wasn't his fault Nightkit had died.

Whiskerclaw picked up the pace until they reached the training hollow. Sleetpaw held his breath when Whiskerclaw padded into the training hollow. Sand brushed against Sleetpaw's fur as he followed his mentor.

"Today I am going to show you a common move, one that ever warrior should learn," Whiskerclaw explained. Whiskerclaw stared at a branch that he had dragged into the clearing. Sleetpaw watched with interest as he raised his paw. Quick as lightning, the paw came down, snapping the branch in half. "Now you try it." Whiskerclaw stepped back and gave Sleetpaw enough room.

Uncertainty clawed at Sleetpaw as he gazed down at the branch. Carefully he raised his paw, until he lowered it with the same force Whiskerclaw had used. Sleetpaw's eyes widened when the other half of the branch snapped.

"Well done," Whiskerclaw purred. "The next few moves will not ensure victory in battle, but if you keep practicing, you will be quick and sure-footed."

"Do you really think so?" Sleetpaw wanted to ensure that he would get better. He was going to make sure that his skills improved until he could prove himself. If he could master his powers, maybe he could prove to the Clan that Hollystar was a murderer.

"Of course. Every warrior learns at their own pace," he added.

Sleetpaw couldn't help but purr in excitement. For the first time in his life, he felt like he was actually going to get somewhere. He would practice until he was the best warrior in the Clan, and nothing would stop him.

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**AN: So there you have it. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter, I love reading your reviews!**


	10. Chapter 9

**AN: Sorry for the delay in updates. I've been rather busy lately. But here's chapter nine, and it's an exciting chapter :D Special thanks to StarHuntress101, Jaysong of ThunderClan, Icefeather, and Lostsuriver for reviewing!**

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**CHAPTER NINE**

Morning sunlight filtered through the apprentice's den. Sleetpaw blinked open his eyes, thankful that for once, he didn't have another dream.

Today was his first time going on a border patrol. Whiskerclaw had promised him that they would patrol the ShadowClan border. Sleetpaw wasn't sure whether or not he should feel excited, or worried.

His last encounter with ShadowClan didn't exactly end well. He wasn't in any hurry to meet Snakepelt either. ShadowClan's Special sent shivers down his spine every time he thought of the cold warrior. On top of it all, he was pretty certain they would call him a weak fool for going out of camp as a kit.

With a sigh, he padded out of the den to stretch out his legs. Whiskerclaw was already wide awake when he reached the fresh-kill pile. Larchpaw and Brownpaw were sitting together, sharing a squirrel. Honeypaw sat by herself, gently washing her whiskers after finishing a vole.

"Mind if I join you?" Sleetpaw asked after grabbing a mouse. Honeypaw met his gaze before nodding.

"There's going to be a Gathering tomorrow," she purred after an uncomfortable silence fell between them. "Crowtalon said that I'm more than ready for my first Gathering."

Sleetpaw swallowed the last bit of mouse and looked at her in surprise. He had almost forgotten that there was a full moon tomorrow. Maybe that was why Fiercewind and the other Specials had left him alone.

"I wonder who else is going," he murmured thoughtfully.

"Crowtalon said that it depends on what your mentor thinks," Honeypaw explained. "Larchpaw's upset that she isn't going."

He glanced at the tortoiseshell and noticed that Honeypaw was right. Larchpaw did look annoyed when Brownpaw started going on about meeting the other Clans. He held back a purr of amusement when Larchpaw muttered under her breath.

Whiskerclaw stood up after nuzzling Brightpool affectionately. Sleetpaw felt his fur grow hot with embarrassment when Brightpool shot him a glare. She had seen the way he was talking with Honeypaw. He suddenly realized that she thought he was trying to become more than friends with Honeypaw.

_Blech_, _no thank you_! he thought with a flick of his tail. Sure he enjoyed her company, but he was in no mood for finding a mate. Besides, he barely made it out of the nursery!

"I guess that's my cue to leave," he announced when Whiskerclaw reached the camp's entrance.

Honeypaw acted like she didn't even notice as she hurried to the elder's den. Part of being an apprentice meant that they had to clean out the elder's den every now and than. Sleetpaw's nose wrinkled as he thought of that. He wasn't looking forward to his part in the job.

Adderstrike and Cricketfur were part of the patrol as well. Sleetpaw narrowed his eyes when he saw how close Adderstrike was to Cricketfur. She let out a warm purr when he whispered something to her.

"Save that for greenleaf," Whiskerclaw snapped. "We're all ready." He glanced at Sleetpaw before heading for the thorn tunnel. Without hesitation Sleetpaw bolted forward. Adderstrike and Cricketfur were quick to follow.

Sleetpaw relished the warm sun bathing his pelt. Birds were singing to one another as the day drew on. His mouth watered as the scent of prey filled his lungs. He hoped Whiskerclaw would let him hunt after they were finished patrolling.

Whiskerclaw set the patrol at a brisk pace as he led them through the forest. Adderstrike and Cricketfur kept chattering like excited squirrels. Sleetpaw shot them a look of annoyance. At this rate they would scare away any prey out there.

Alarm surged through Sleetpaw when he caught a familiar stench just outside the clearing. His nose wrinkled in disgust. He'd recognize that scent anywhere, even if he did pick it up a few days ago.

"They've moved the border!" Adderstrike's snarl echoed through the forest.

"Which means you are trespassing." Sleetpaw felt his blood run cold when he recognized Snakepelt's voice.

"Snakepelt, how dare you move the border on us!" Whiskerclaw spat.

"I am not the one who moved the border," Snakepelt growled after emerging from the undergrowth. Sleetpaw's fur stood on end when he realized that Snakepelt had brought reinforcement. More ShadowClan cats emerged from the undergrowth, eyes glittering with rage when they spotted their enemies. "Go back to your little nests while you can," he sneered.

"This part of the forest has always belonged to ThunderClan, and it always will," Cricketfur hissed.

Without warning cats lunged at the unprepared patrol. Sleetpaw struggled to remember his fighting moves as a warrior advanced towards him. Whiskerclaw was pinned to the ground by a large dark gray tom with pale yellow eyes. Cricketfur and Adderstrike fought together to defend themselves.

Sleetpaw ducked from one side to the other as a warrior struggled to cause any real damage. Amusement coursed through Sleetpaw when he saw frustration gleam within the ginger tom's eyes. He wasted no time in swiping his claws across the warrior's muzzle once he saw an opening. The ginger tom let out a hiss of pain and stumbled back.

_I can use my powers_! Sleetpaw realized. He concentrated on the energy he had felt when he was training with Fiercewind. Once he dug deep enough, the same pent up anger he had felt in his training emerged. He glared at the ginger tom as he began to taunt the young apprentice.

"You've hardly made it out of the nursery," the ginger tom sneered. "You're not even fit to become an apprentice." His claws collided with Sleetpaw's shoulder, sending jolts of pain through him. But his contact was enough to make him screech in surprise.

"Say that again, foxhearted warrior!" Sleetpaw spat as he released a torrent of ice. The surge slammed into the ginger warrior, who let out a shriek of pain. "Next time think before you speak," he added when the warrior limped away.

His eyes blazed with anger as Sleetpaw looked around for anyone else that was still fighting. By now the ShadowClan warriors were fleeing from the battle. Whiskerclaw struggled to stand after he managed to send the dark gray warrior fleeing with his tail between his legs. His eyes were wide with shock when he saw the ice scattered across the ground.

"Sleetpaw... you are a Special," he rasped. Both Adderstrike and Cricketfur looked just as shocked as he did. Embarrassment washed over Sleetpaw when he realized the secret was out.

"Yeah, I'm the Special," he admitted.

"We need to get back to camp," Whiskerclaw muttered. "I want you too to mark the border in the correct area," he added to Adderstrike and Cricketfur. Both cats accepted his orders without question. After what just happened Sleetpaw was sure they didn't want to argue.

An uneasy silence fell between them as Whiskerclaw led the way back to camp. Sleetpaw had a feeling that Whiskerclaw had a lot to say. He could see confusion and annoyance in the senior warrior's eyes.

"How long have you been hiding this?" Whiskerclaw demanded when they were far enough away from the clearing.

"Since I became an apprentice." Sleetpaw looked away as he thought of his first dream of Snowpelt and Leafbreeze.

"No wonder you were able to survive that adventure as a kit," Whiskerclaw muttered.

"Hollystar knew that I was the Special." Sleetpaw was surprised by the bitterness in his voice. She had known all along, and she refused to tell the Clan.

"We need to tell the Clan the truth," Whiskerclaw meowed. He seemed so calm despite everything that had happened. Sleetpaw looked at him and was surprised to see determination in his eyes. "The Clan believes that StarClan has cursed us," he explained warily.

Fear wormed it's way into Sleetpaw's belly. He wasn't sure how the Clan would react when they found out. But he did know that they would treat him differently. And that was something he didn't look forward to.

Whiskerclaw was right though. The Clan had a right to know the truth. Hollystar couldn't hide it even if she tried. If Sleetpaw could make the Clan see her as a liar, than he would tell the truth. He was going to do whatever it took to make Hollystar miserable.

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**AN: Bwahaha, yep, that just happened! Now Hollystar's in for a nasty shock when they get back :D**


	11. Chapter 10

**AN: So this chapter was relatively short. It could've been longer, but I wanted to break it apart. Thanks to Icefeather, Lostsurvivor, Jaysong of ThunderClan and Spinosa for your awesome reviews!**

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**CHAPTER TEN**

Fear wormed it's way into Sleetpaw's belly. Whiskerclaw had gathered the Clan after the fight with ShadowClan was over. Every eye was trained on Sleetpaw as Whiskerclaw explained what had happened. He flinched when he realized that they were whispering about his use of powers in the battle.

"Is this true?" Raventail's voice was cold as Whiskerclaw nodded.

"How could we have missed it?" Morningsong growled. Her eyes were scanning the Highledge for signs of Hollystar.

_Because Hollystar did a good job of hiding it_, Sleetpaw thought bitterly. But she wanted a Special in the Clan. He had known all along that was what she wanted. Someone who could help her rise in power over all the other Clans.

Sleetpaw dug his claws into the cold ground as Hollystar finally emerged from her den. By now the clearing had fallen silent. Her eyes flashed with worry when she realized that the entire Clan was waiting for her.

"Did I miss something?" she asked innocently.

"ShadowClan tried claiming more land than they could handle," Adderstrike spat.

"And you have been lying to us!" Whiskerclaw added. He glared at Hollystar angrily. Sleetpaw was surprised to see that she hardly wavered under the stares of her Clan.

"I can't imagine lying to anyone," Hollystar simply replied. She blinked when Whiskerclaw looked like he was ready to strike her down. "If you plan on attacking me, than I suggest you do it when the Clan isn't watching. I could easily have you thrown out," she hissed.

Pure anger surged through Sleetpaw. Hollystar was acting like a spoiled kit! He wished he could claw off that smug look on her face. She didn't seem to think that anything was wrong. ShadowClan had tried invading the borders. They might have succeeded if he hadn't used his powers on them.

"One of your apprentices is a Special," Whiskerclaw snarled. "You knew all along!"

This time interest shown within Hollystar's eyes. She looked at the apprentices huddled by the den. Honeypaw's eyes were round with wonder when she realized what that meant. Brownpaw and Larchpaw wore confused expressions. Sleetpaw only held his ground when Hollystar approached the already wary crowd.

"I always knew you would have a special destiny," she purred when she looked at Sleetpaw. "As for not telling the Clan, I had a feeling that one of Raventail's kits was the Special. I couldn't be sure who it was until they became apprentices." She locked gazes with Raventail. By now his pelt was standing on end with bitter rage. "It is fitting that the deputy's son is the Special."

Without warning Raventail leaped forward. Cats jumped out of the way as he collided with Hollystar. The ThunderClan leader's eyes narrowed into tiny slits when he tore at her flesh. She raised a paw and slammed it hard under his chin, knocking him to the ground in a dazed heap.

Sleetpaw's fur bristled with outrage when he realized that she was about to kill his father. He struggled to keep his thoughts under control as he sought out his powers. In a heartbeat an icy wind was thrown in Hollystar's direction. Her mouth dropped open in disbelief when she was sent flying into the cold stone.

"Is she... dead?" Honeypaw barely whispered the words as Kestrelfoot emerged from his den. His eyes were wide with shock when he saw what had happened.

A deathly silence filled the clearing as he checked on Raventail and Hollystar. Sleetpaw's stomach churned with anxiety as he watched his father. His heart burned with sorrow. Hollystar might have killed another of his family. After everything that had happened today, he couldn't lose his father either!

"Raventail is only stunned," Kestrelfoot meowed reassuringly. "As for Hollystar... she is losing a life."

Whispers broke throughout the crowd. Sleetpaw's ears burned when cats looked at him accusingly. But to his surprise, most of them looked pleased with what he had done. Even Kestrelfoot didn't seem sympathetic towards his sister.

"We still have a Gathering tonight," Morningsong wailed. "What are we going to do if they don't wake up?"

Just as she said those words, Raventail began to stir. His eyes blinked open slowly before he turned to glare at Hollystar. Bits of ice could be seen where she had been thrown. Sleetpaw couldn't help but feel proud of what he had done to her. He hoped that she wouldn't wake any time soon.

"We need to leave before this gets worse," Raventail murmured. "Hollystar will be punished by StarClan for what she has done." He looked at Sleetpaw warmly for the first time in what felt like moons.

_I did it_, he realized. _Nightkit_, _I hope you saw what I did_.

. . .

The Clan was gathered at the camp's entrance by the time Kestrelfoot and Raventail moved Hollystar into the medicine cat's den. She had not woken up yet. The Clan was getting restless as they wondered whether or not she would recover.

Sleetpaw's claws were kneading the ground as he waited for his father to return. He couldn't wait to get out of the hollow.

Since attacking Hollystar, he felt as though the hollow walls were closing in on him. It was like there was no escape from them.

"We are ready," Whiskerclaw meowed when Raventail approached the group.

It wasn't a big group that was going this time. Whiskerclaw, Crowtalon, Dewstep, Adderstrike and Scorchwind. Honeypaw and Brownpaw were going with them eyes bright with excitement. This would be their second Gathering.

"Let us hope the Clans will understand why Hollystar is not among us tonight," Raventail whispered as Sleetpaw brushed past him.

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**AN: Yep, that all just happened ;) You can imagine that Hollystar will wake up with a big headache in the morning. Now I'm off to write the next chapter!**


	12. Chapter 11

**AN: My longest chapter ever! Hopefully that's a good sign. Thanks to Thesoundlessrune, Icefeather, Guest, Jaysong of ThunderClan, Spinosa and Lostsurvivor for reviewing! Wow, that's a lot of reviews for one chapter. So quick question, who all is seeing Thor: The Dark World? I'm dying to see it. Cannot wait for Friday to come! :D**

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**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

The stars showed brightly in the night sky. A cool breeze ruffled the back of Sleetpaw's fur. He stayed close beside his father as they ran towards the island. It was a good way to warm up when the air outside was cold. The fact that his father was leading the group made Sleetpaw's chest swell with pride. He couldn't help but feel happy when his father finally started treating him like a son again.

"Careful, there's a treebridge you need to cross when we reach the island," Whiskerclaw warned when he reached them.

_I can make my own bridge_, Sleetpaw thought proudly. He remembered the first time he had used his powers. Snowpelt had taken him to the border between StarClan, and he'd used his powers to create an ice bridge. That sounded much safer compared to the treebridge Whiskerclaw had mentioned.

And his suspicions were confirmed when they reached the island. Raventail crossed the treebridge as though it was nothing. But when Sleetpaw peered down, he saw nothing but darkness underneath. It felt as though the lake might swallow him up if he took one wrong step.

Whiskerclaw and Dewstep were next to cross, followed shortly by Adderstrike and Scorchwind. Brownpaw gave his sister's muzzle a lick before crossing the bridge.

"It's okay, I can help you if you need it," Honeypaw mewed when she noticed the fear in Sleetpaw's eyes.

_I don't need your help_! Sleetpaw wanted to shout those words, but he kept silent.

"Move you dumb kit!" Sleetpaw whirled around to see that WindClan was right behind them. He recognized Lightningpaw from his first day as an apprentice. The pale ginger tom's eyes were narrowed in annoyance.

"Calm down Lightningpaw." A smaller looking orange and white tom padded beside his brother. He looked at Sleetpaw sympathetically. "He's not so bad once you get to know him," he added.

Sleetpaw resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He followed Honeypaw across the treebridge. Blood roared in his ears as he felt another wave of fear roll over him. The treebridge began to tremble as he took another step forward. He looked over his shoulder to see that Lightningpaw had started crossing it.

"Get down you mousebrain," Ivyfoot snapped as she grabbed him by the scruff. "Let them cross first."

Lightningpaw shot her a glare when he stumbled back. Sleetpaw couldn't help but smirk at them when he finally reached the island. Once he was off of the treebridge, his mouth nearly dropped open in shock.

ShadowClan was first to arrive. He recognized their stench anywhere. Honeypaw and Brownpaw were chattering with a group of younger looking cats. Sleetpaw guessed that they were apprentices by their size. The pair still looked like they had kit-fluff fur.

"Over here, Sleetpaw," Honeypaw called over to him. Sleetpaw glanced around nervously before following them. "And this is our newest apprentice, Sleetpaw," she purred.

"Wow, Leopardpaw was right when he talked about you!" The gray and white she-cat with blue eyes exclaimed. Sleetpaw looked at her in confusion before she realized he didn't understand. "Oh, he was in the battle," she added.

"Lakestar thought now was a good time to attack," added a lighter gray she-cat with yellow eyes.

_They must be sisters_, Sleetpaw guessed. Then he wondered what they meant by 'now was a good time'. His eyes narrowed just as the orange and white WindClan apprentice joined them.

"Hi Sunpaw," the lighter gray she-cat purred a greeting.

"It's good to see you again, Mintpaw," Sunpaw replied with a dip of his head. "I'm sorry about my brother. Lightningpaw _is_ a good cat once you get to know him," he added to Sleetpaw.

Sleetpaw highly doubted that. From the first moment they met, Lightningpaw had been aggressive and pushy.

"Where is he anyways?" Honeypaw asked cheerfully.

"With the other Specials," Sunpaw explained. He nodded to where Snakepelt was sitting. The light brown tom's eyes were narrowed as Lightningpaw went on babbling about something. "I'd avoid Snakepelt though, he's not the friendliest of cats."

Sleetpaw wanted to remind Sunpaw that his brother was just as bad, but he decided not to. Sunpaw was friendly enough as far as WindClan went. He didn't want to gain another enemy.

"Shouldn't_ you_ be joining them?" Brownpaw's question caught Sleetpaw off guard.

"Are you a Special too?" Sunpaw's eyes widened in disbelief. Both Mintpaw and Mosspaw looked at him curiously. Sleetpaw only shuffled his paws in embarrassment.

"Erm, yeah, I guess," he muttered. He didn't like the idea of joining Lightningpaw or Snakepelt. But when he looked back at the other apprentices, they were too busy gossiping to notice. Sleetpaw's ears flattened when he realized that they were treating him differently.

_They probably think I'm some kind of freak_, he thought bitterly.

Dropping his head, Sleetpaw padded over to where the other Specials were gathered. Snakepelt snorted in what Sleetpaw guessed was laughter when he sat down beside Ivyfoot. The gray and white she-cat's nose wrinkled as if she'd picked up a bad scent.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Lightningpaw demanded.

"I'm ThunderClan's Special," Sleetpaw grumbled. This time Ivyfoot looked at him with keen interest. "Guess I was just a late bloomer," he added with a shrug.

"You? A Special? Only a bee-brain would give someone like you powers!" Lightningpaw scoffed. At once Ivyfoot cuffed him over the ears. Lightningpaw shot her a vengeful look before glaring at the ground.

"That would explain why you almost killed Flameclaw," Snakepelt hissed. "Part of his tail was frozen solid."

"If you hadn't tried to steal our territory that wouldn't have happened!" Sleetpaw retorted. His fur was fluffed up as he locked glares with Snakepelt. The light brown tom was about to say something else when another cat spoke up.

"Calm yourself, Snakepelt." Sleetpaw's blood ran cold when he recognized Alderfern's voice. "It is good to see ThunderClan's newest Special," she added. "Fiercewind would have made a fine mentor."

Sleetpaw resisted the urge to tell her that Fiercewind _was_ his mentor. He had a feeling that the other Specials weren't supposed to know about his secret training. Besides, it was fun to see what the Clans would say when they saw how good he was.

"Alderfern, I trust all is well in your Clan," Ivyfoot meowed with a dip of her head.

"The fish are practically leaping into our paws, Ivyfoot," Alderfern purred. "Harekit is going to make a fine Special when he becomes an apprentice."

"That's wonderful news!" Ivyfoot's purr made Sleetpaw and Lightningpaw look at her in surprise. "A Special is always important to the Clan. I was worried that ThunderClan had lost their privilege to have a Special," she added to the surprised apprentices.

Before they could say anything else, a light brown tabby began the Gathering. Sleetpaw tilted his head to one side. He struggled to remember who that cat was until Ivyfoot placed a tail over his shoulder.

"That is our leader, Shrewstar," she explained.

He gave her a cautious look before nodding. How did she know what he was thinking? He would have to ask Fiercewind when he had the chance. Ivyfoot's tail flicked as if he'd said the name out loud, but she said nothing and watched Shrewstar carefully.

"All is well in WindClan," he announced. "The rabbits keep us fit and strong. It will not be long before there are more warriors to keep the Clan safe." Sleetpaw didn't miss the gleam in Shrewstar's eyes. Clearly he was hiding something as he stepped back to let the others speak.

"ShadowClan is thriving this newleaf," Lakestar meowed. "We have two new apprentices - Mintpaw and Mosspaw are here. One of our warriors was injured in a battle, but he will make a swift recover." Lakestar shot Raventail a cold look.

"Why was there a battle?" a RiverClan cat demanded. A few others had asked the same question. Ivyfoot's eyes were narrowed into tiny slits when she locked gazes with Lakestar.

"I hope this does not mean you plan on invading our territory," growled a black she-cat with piercing green eyes.

_That must be Ripplestar_, Sleetpaw guessed. Larchpaw had described the way Ripplestar looked from her last Gathering. Larchpaw had said that Ripplestar was so stoic compared to the other leaders. She held her head high while the other leaders acted like thick-headed rogues.

"RiverClan is doing well," she continued. "The fish have stocked our fresh-kill pile well this greenleaf, and we have two new apprentices: Rootpaw and Tigerpaw. Both are here tonight."

"Rootpaw! Tigerpaw!" The Clans cheered on for the new apprentices. Sleetpaw tried to find the new RiverClan apprentices. He blinked in surprise when he saw a dark brown tom sitting beside a sleek-furred dark orange tom.

"That is all." She dipped her head as Raventail stood up next.

"Where is Hollystar?" demanded a WindClan warrior. Sleetpaw's ears flattened when the rest of the Clans murmured the same questions.

"Hollystar could not make it tonight," Raventail replied after Shrewstar scolded the warrior that had spoken out. Murmurs of unease rippled through the crowd once Raventail said those words. "We have a new apprentice, who is also the future Special of our Clan. Sleetpaw is here tonight."

All eyes turned on Sleetpaw, whose ears flattened in embarrassment. He couldn't help but wonder what the others thought of him. Would they think he was a useless scrap of fur? Or would they treat him with respect?

"Don't be put off by their stares," Ivyfoot murmured. "They are only curious. It's been some time since ThunderClan had a Special to brag about."

Sleetpaw looked at her in surprise. Amusement gleamed within her eyes as the Gathering drew to an end. Ivyfoot left to join her Clanmates with Lightningpaw quickly following. Alderfern stayed behind and watched as they left.

"Ivyfoot can read minds," she whispered. "Remember that the next Gathering. She will use her powers to help her Clan in any way."

"How am I supposed to block her out than?" Sleetpaw demanded.

"You will learn in time," Alderfern meowed. "For now, try thinking of other things when you are around her."

She rose to her paws and joined the other medicine cats. Sleetpaw watched her leave, fear worming it's way into his belly. What if he thought of the wrong thing while he was around Ivyfoot? Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine.

He tried to push the thoughts aside as he joined his own Clanmates. Honeypaw mewed goodbye to Mintpaw while Mosspaw said goodbye to Brownpaw. Sleetpaw didn't miss the look of longing Mosspaw gave Brownpaw.

_You better watch yourself_, he thought angrily.

"I'm glad you got to go," Honeypaw purred when he reached her. Her gaze suddenly dropped when Sleetpaw flicked his tail anxiously. "Everything is going to be different now, isn't it?" she added in a low whisper.

"No, I won't change," he said reassuringly. "You're still my best friend."

Honeypaw's eyes glowed with warmth before she brushed muzzles with him. Embarrassment quickly washed over Sleetpaw once again as she padded after her brother. He would do anything to keep them safe. Even if it meant giving his own life to defend them.

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**AN: Yep, definitely one of my favorite chapters to write. Don't know why, but I love Gathering chapters. So what do you think of the other Specials?**


	13. Chapter 12

**AN: So here's chapter twelve. Could be longer, but I wanted to end it here. It's more of a filler anyways. Thanks to Jaysong of ThunderClan, Icefeather and Spinosa for your awesome reviews! Did I forget to mention how awesome you guys are? :)**

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**CHAPTER TWELVE**

Half a moon had passed since Sleetpaw was discovered as ThunderClan's Special. Most of the Clan had forgiven Hollystar for not telling them. But a few cats such as Whiskerclaw and Raventail were reluctant to forgive. In fact, Whiskerclaw made a point to avoid her when he could.

Sleetpaw's training was going well, according to Whiskerclaw. And his secret training with Fiercewind was almost complete. He had mastered the art of controlling ice in every way possible. Now his pelt had become cold to the touch any time he got angry or nervous. Snowpelt had warned him that this was a side effect from his powers. The older cat had experienced the same thing when he was younger.

And his relationship with Honeypaw had gotten stronger. The two of them would often sit together and share fresh-kill. During battle training they would fight alongside one another. Sleetpaw didn't miss the glares Whiskerclaw gave him during battle training. He'd assumed Honeypaw's father was just worried about her.

Now he was helping Larchpaw clean out the elder's den. It was close to sunhigh, and the heat of greenleaf warmed their pelts. Briarthorn and Pineclaw were sunning themselves while Sleetpaw pulled out the last bits of dried moss. Larchpaw searched their pelts for ticks or fleas.

"Do you need any help?" Sleetpaw asked after tossing aside the dried bedding.

"I think I'm fine," Larchpaw replied. "Can you find fresh bedding while I finish with Pineclaw? I'll help you spread it out," she added when she finally looked up.

He nodded in agreement before rushing off to find fresh moss. He remembered the place Whiskerclaw had shown him near the stream. Moss almost always grew around the rocks there.

It didn't take Sleetpaw long to reach the stream. It still had a bit of water in it. Rain had not fallen for the last few days, making the forest dry and brittle looking. Cats were afraid the dry weather would spark a fire in the forest. Sleetpaw had heard Briarthorn complaining that it would not rain for another few days.

He wasted no time in clawing down the bits of moss that grew on one side of the rocks. He didn't even notice that the moss was pointing towards ShadowClan's territory. The Clan was still on edge from the last attack. Sleetpaw made a point to avoid the border while he was alone.

_I'd rather not come across a wandering patrol_, he thought angrily. The last thing he wanted was to provoke an unneeded fight. After the last battle he was sure that the warrior he had almost killed would attack him again.

Once he'd gathered enough moss, he returned to the hollow. Larchpaw was finished picking off the last ticks when he reached her.

"Thanks Sleetpaw," she purred when he helped her spread it out. "This has to be the worst part of being an apprentice," she added under her breath.

"Yeah, but it needs to be done," he murmured. "At least Briarthorn's friendly." He glanced at the old she-cat. She was sharing tongues with Pineclaw now.

"I suppose," Larchpaw mewed with a shrug. "Leafclaw promised me that he would teach me some more battle moves after we're finished. Are you coming with us?"

"I don't know what Whiskerclaw has planned for me," he admitted. "Life has gotten a bit more complicated since... you know." He looked away after avoiding the fact that his life had changed since becoming ThunderClan's Special. Everyone was treating him differently now; even his own father treated him with more respect than he had before.

_I just wish that Darkflower would see me as a normal apprentice_, he added silently. She had refused to even look at him since she learned his true destiny. He had a feeling that she still blamed him for Nightkit's death.

"That's Leafclaw calling me," Larchpaw suddenly meowed when a yowl sounded from the thorn tunnel entrance. Sleetpaw followed her gaze and saw that she was right. She waved her tail goodbye before bounding off to join her mentor.

Sleetpaw's shoulders sagged when she left. At least he still had friends in the Clan. He had learned from Leafbreeze that it was difficult for Specials to make friends. They were treated differently because some cats were afraid of them.

"Sleetpaw, why don't we go hunting," Whiskerclaw suggested after bounding over.

"Yes!" Sleetpaw jumped to his paws. He was eager to get out and hunt for the Clan. Even if they did treat him differently, he wasn't going to let that ruin his training.

"I thought we could hunt around the Sky Oak," Whiskerclaw meowed as he led Sleetpaw into the forest.

Excitement coursed through Sleetpaw. Squirrels were commonly found around the Sky Oak. He'd seen them searching the rotting leaves for seeds. Sleetpaw dropped to a crouch when he picked up the familiar scent.

"Remember, when you are hunting a squirrel you must be quick and silent on your paws," Whiskerclaw warned him.

His ears flicked back and forth to show that he'd heard. Sleetpaw kept his gaze focused on the undergrowth. Heartbeats seemed to pass before he lunged forward. He struggled to keep his paws silent until he reached the startled squirrel.

The squirrel didn't stand a chance as he leaped after it. He snapped it's neck and dragged it back to where Whiskerclaw was sitting. His mentor looked at him warily before nodding in encouragement.

"You did good," he purred. "But there is still plenty of prey to be caught. Why don't we split up and find prey elsewhere?"

_I could use some alone time_, Sleetpaw decided once Whiskerclaw explained where he would go. It was close to the WindClan border, and Sleetpaw thought he should have been more wary of that fact. But he was just happy to hunt on his own for a change.

In the end he'd managed to catch two mice and a sparrow that was caught completely off guard. Sleetpaw couldn't help but feel pride surge through him when he returned to their meeting place. On any other day his hunting skills would have lacked. But Whiskerclaw's training had taught him well.

"Well, it seems like you caught a lot," Whiskerclaw meowed when he returned to their meeting place.

"Where's your catch?" Sleetpaw noticed that Whiskerclaw had hardly caught anything.

"I must have lost it by the stream." Sleetpaw narrowed his eyes when Whiskerclaw simply shrugged.

_He's hiding something_, he realized. _He was meeting with someone at the WindClan border_.

Thankfully though he took the squirrel Sleetpaw had caught earlier. Sleetpaw's mouth was already full from the other pieces of prey he'd caught. He followed Whiskerclaw back to camp once he'd managed to grasp it all.

"The fresh-kill pile needed to be stocked," Raventail meowed once they reached the hollow. "I'm glad you went out hunting."

Once again another wave of pride surged through Sleetpaw. His training was finally going well. He hoped that it wouldn't be long before he finally became a warrior. But until than he would continue training as the Clan's Special, and prove to the Clan that Hollystar had killed his brother.

_Everyone else might have forgiven her_, _but I never will_, he reminded himself.


	14. Chapter 13

**AN: Thought it would be nice to finally update. Sorry it's been so long, I've been busy lately ;) Anywho, thanks to Jaysong of ThunderClan, Icefeather, Snowstepthemagnificent, CynsIsHere, and Spinosa for your reviews! You guys are awesome people! :D**

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**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

"Remember to focus your strength into your powers," Fiercewind meowed as Sleetpaw stared at one of the four rocks. His eyes narrowed as he kept his gaze focused. Fiercewind was drilling him on how to control the flow of his power. According to Snowpelt, ice-breathers could control just how cold they were.

After what felt like moons, Sleetpaw finally relaxed and looked back at Fiercewind. She didn't seem too impressed with his lack of concentration.

"Is something bothering you?" she suddenly asked.

Sleetpaw looked at her in surprise. She couldn't have known what he was thinking, could she?

"I... It's Whiskerclaw," he admitted. Fiercewind tilted her head to one side at the name. "I think he's been meeting with someone from WindClan."

"Don't be mousebrained," Fiercewind purred. "He already has a mate, and he is a loyal ThunderClan warrior."

Something flashed in her eyes. Sleetpaw didn't miss it. His claws unsheathed as he thought of getting the answer out one way or the other. But Fiercewind was already beginning to fade, along with the forest around him.

He blinked when he realized that some secrets were better left hidden. If Whiskerclaw was meeting with someone than it had to be for a good reason. Maybe Fiercewind was right about him being a loyal ThunderClan warrior.

_After all_,_ he did fight for me when Hollystar kept my powers a secret_, he thought.

The apprentice's den surrounded him when he finally stood up. Honeypaw was still fast asleep. Brownpaw and Larchpaw must have left for the dawn patrol. They were being kept busy by their mentors with border patrols or battle training.

"Sleetpaw, are you awake?" He nearly leaped out of his fur when he heard Honeypaw's voice.

Sleetpaw looked down to see that one eye was cracked open. Finally he nodded and flicked his tail over her shoulder.

"You don't have to get up," he murmured.

"It's okay," she replied after yawning. "I've been awake since Brownpaw and Larchpaw left."

Guilt stabbed at Sleetpaw's chest when she mentioned her littermates. He missed seeing Nightkit's perky personality. Nightkit should be training alongside them. Instead Hollystar had let him die just because Nightkit wasn't the Clan's Special.

"Is everything alright?" he asked warily. Clearly something was bothering her if she hadn't even slept in.

Honeypaw stood up and stretched out her back. For the first time Sleetpaw noticed that her nest was clawed to pieces. His eyes widened with surprise at the sight. She was normally so clean and hated having a torn up nest.

"No," she admitted. "I've been following Whiskerclaw for the past few days now. He's been meeting with someone from WindClan." Her voice dropped to a whisper so that only they could hear.

He locked gazes with her, fear worming it's way into his stomach. Honeypaw had just told him exactly what he had told Fiercewind.

"Do you really think that?" he managed to get past the lump that formed in his throat.

Her eyes were dark with worry as she looked away, confirming his fears.

After everything that had happened, ThunderClan couldn't afford to lose any warriors! Hollystar might still be in power but that didn't mean she could be trusted. Sleetpaw found himself so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice a head poking through the den's entrance.

"We're doing some battle training," Crowtalon meowed. He seemed to notice that something wasn't quite right between both apprentices. "Is something wrong?" he demanded after Honeypaw remained icily silent.

For a moment Sleetpaw was afraid Honeypaw would announce what they had been discussing. Instead she simply looked back at Crowtalon and shook her head.

"Everything is fine," she purred halfheartedly. Her mentor gave her a look of disbelief, but he didn't press her with more questions. He finally backed out of the den once Honeypaw gave her fur a few licks of embarrassment. "Sleetpaw, I want you to come with me tonight," she whispered.

"Honeypaw, you know-" She cut him off with a glare.

"If you were my friend than you would help me!" she hissed.

Sleetpaw's stomach churned with anxiety when he noticed the cold look in her eyes.

"Fine," he snapped. "I'll go with you."

Honeypaw's shoulders seemed to relax as she backed out of the den. Sleetpaw watched her leave, that familiar sense of unease returning.

_Why does this have to happen_? he wondered.

When she disappeared he felt that unease fade away. Something about the way she acted bothered him. This wasn't the Honeypaw that he'd grown up with. Now she was acting like a frightened rabbit, forcing others to go with her when she couldn't face her fears alone.

_Guess I should go out now that I'm awake_, he thought with a lash of his tail.

He arched his back before stepping into the clearing. The sun bathed his pelt when he reached the fresh-kill pile. He wasn't surprised to see Brightpool wide awake. She was sharing tongues with Morningsong, Whiskerclaw's sister.

Sleetpaw gathered the courage to watch them carefully. Neither of them seemed too concerned about anything in particular. In fact, they looked rather peaceful.

"Hey Sleetpaw, we'll be doing some battle training today." Sleetpaw flinched when he heard Whiskerclaw's voice. He whipped around to see confusion showing visibly on Whiskerclaw's face. "Is everything all right?" he added.

"Everything is fine," he replied through gritted teeth.

Whiskerclaw looked at him in concern. "No, something is wrong," he meowed. "Have you been getting proper sleep?"

Sleetpaw almost wished he could announce to the Clan what was really wrong. First he found out that Hollystar was a murderer. And now his own mentor was meeting with someone outside his Clan.

For the first time, Sleetpaw realized how deep betrayal really ran in the Clan. Maybe this was what it meant to be a Special. Maybe he needed to bring peace to the forest by taking down the traitors who called themselves Clanmates and friends.

"Everything is fine," he repeated.

For a moment he thought Whiskerclaw might say something else. He was relieved when Whiskerclaw left him to finish his meal.

Honeypaw was right to be angry and confused. This needed to stop before it got worse. And Sleetpaw would make sure that these secret meetings were put to an end.

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**AN: So yeah, Honeypaw's losing her mind and Sleetpaw has to keep her happy :P Should be fun to write out the next chapter!**


	15. Chapter 14

**AN: Sorry for such a short chapter, but I liked where this one led. And I've been planning this little sub plot for a while now. Thanks to StarHuntress101, Luridwind, Jaysong of ThunderClan, and Icefeather for reviewing! You guys are amazing :)**

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**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

Wariness crept over Sleetpaw's shoulders as he followed Honeypaw through the undergrowth. After spending the day training with Whiskerclaw, Sleetpaw was exhausted. All he wanted to do was crash in his nest and get a good night's sleep. But he had agreed to go with Honeypaw when she saw what her father was up to.

So here he was, spending the night with Honeypaw as they followed Whiskerclaw to the WindClan border. Sleetpaw's ears flattened when he picked up the stench of WindClan. It was almost as bad as ShadowClan. _Almost_.

"There he is!" Honeypaw hissed. Sleetpaw ducked when he caught sight of his mentor.

Sure enough he spotted Whiskerclaw slinking through the undergrowth. The ginger-brown warrior kept looking over his shoulders. Sleetpaw ducked down once more and hoped they hadn't been spotted. Whiskerclaw seemed a bit reassured by the silence after giving his fur a good shake.

The senior warrior soon reached the WindClan border. Honeypaw sat close beside Sleetpaw, making him feel more than uncomfortable since the night air was so warm. Honeypaw didn't even seem to notice that she nearly had her claws in his paws.

"Mudheart, it's good to see you again," Whiskerclaw purred when a familiar looking cat emerged from a tree she was hiding behind.

"How are your kits doing?" Mudheart's voice was filled with pride when she rubbed noses with him.

"They're all getting strong," Whiskerclaw replied. "Honeypaw has great leadership skills. Brownpaw will make a fine warrior, and Larchpaw is a skilled hunter."

Sleetpaw exchanged a look of surprise with Honeypaw. Whiskerclaw rarely bragged about his kits in the Clan.

"I'm sorry I couldn't go to the Gathering last time," Mudheart murmured. "I was forced to stay behind after nearly getting my leg cut off."

"I know. You're lucky you're alive." Whiskerclaw's voice was stern, but Sleetpaw could hear real concern in it.

"Yes, but Shrewstar was really impressed with how well I fought," she mewed. "He says that I'm next in line to become deputy!"

By now it looked like Honeypaw was having a difficult time sitting still. Sleetpaw was about to grab her when she leaped forward, claws unsheathed. His heart nearly skipped a beat when she pinned a shocked Whiskerclaw to the ground.

"You traitor!" she screeched. "How could you be meeting with someone outside the Clan?"

"Honeypaw, stop!" Whiskerclaw's startled cry was left unheard. Mudheart was too shocked to move, and Sleetpaw was torn between his loyalty to the Clan and whether he should break them apart.

Honeypaw tore off fur from Whiskerclaw's flank as he tried pushing her off. She only dug her claws into his back when he finally stood up.

"You're nothing but a traitor," she snarled.

_What do I do_? Sleetpaw thought desperately.

_Break them apart you mousebrain_! Sleetpaw nearly leaped out of his fur when he recognized Fiercewind's voice. _Honeypaw is blinded by hurt and anger_. _You must stop this before she regrets her actions_.

He suddenly understood what she meant by that. Carefully he concentrated on his powers, until ice flew towards Honeypaw and Whiskerclaw.

Both cats finally stumbled to the ground when they were broken apart. Honeypaw blinked in surprise at the sudden attack. Whiskerclaw's shoulders were trembling with disbelief as he tried to comprehend what just happened.

Sleetpaw stepped out of the undergrowth and glared at them both.

"Why don't you explain what happened?" he suggested after looking back at Whiskerclaw.

"Honeypaw, I'm sorry," Whiskerclaw rasped. Mudheart's pelt was still standing on end as he shot her an odd look. "Mudheart is... my sister."

"What?" Honeypaw gaped at both Whiskerclaw and Mudheart.

"He tells the truth," Mudheart sighed. "Shrewstar is our father. You may believe that our father is Pineclaw, but he is not. Our mother died giving birth to us as punishment. In return two kits were kept in ThunderClan while the third was given to Shrewstar."

Honeypaw's face fell when she realized what that meant. "But than that means... I'm part... WindClan!" Her voice rose to a wail.

"Honeypaw, please keep your voice down," Whiskerclaw tried to soothe her.

She only shook him off and glared at him.

"You lied to me!" she spat. "You're a liar and a traitor!"

Whiskerclaw looked like was about to say something else when she bounded away. Sleetpaw watched on with sympathy. It would take time for Honeypaw to recover from the secret. Whiskerclaw let out a sigh of frustration as Mudheart flicked her tail across his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I thought you told them," she admitted.

"I was waiting for the right time," he murmured.

"You need to get your wounds looked at. And I should go back. She will forgive you." Mudheart pressed her muzzle on his forehead. Whiskerclaw gave her a lick before she trotted off.

"Does Hollystar know?" Sleetpaw looked at Whiskerclaw as he watched Mudheart leave.

"Of course not," Whiskerclaw replied bitterly. "Why should she care about someone's problem?"

_I hope she doesn't find out_, he thought as he followed Whiskerclaw back to camp.

Honeypaw wouldn't tell the Clan what she had discovered. Would she? Sleetpaw's mind was churning with those thoughts as they returned to camp. He could only hope and pray that Honeypaw would stay quiet about their recent discovery. But knowing her she would end up telling everyone. And she would end up getting the punishment.

* * *

**AN: So there you have it. Secret's out. No, Honeypaw's mother isn't WindClan. Her father is just part WindClan. So how about those reviews? Maybe I could get more for my birthday today? :P**


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